Cementerio Cristóbal Colón Parks, Gardens & Cemeteries
Famous Latin American Cemetery
Havana,
Ciuded de la Habana, 10400
Cuba
+53 7 832 1050Overview
The beauty and magnificence of this cemetery has made it famous throughout the Latin American continent. Established in 1876, it holds nearly a million graves, many of whose headstones have been embellished by major Cuban sculptors such as Ramos Blancos, among others. The Afro-Cuban religious practice of, "santería" is common throughout the island, and this cemetery is no exception; thus it is not unusual to find colorfully dressed rag-dolls lying next to the graves, placed as offerings to one or other deity. And a popular local legend tells the story of the Milagrosa or Miraculous Lady, who died in childbirth along with her infant; although they had originally been buried separately, both were found–some time later–lying in the same grave, now a shrine for devout Catholics.
I had always heard as a kid how grand this great necropolis was...There was so much money in Havana !!! The only place I can compare is to the great cemeteries of Istanbul but with a European twist.The tombs are ,and let´s get it correct,everything is "neo" in this graveyard;Gothic,Deco,Art Nouveau,Neo Classical with the vegetation,exquisite sculptures,the lizards and the dead in their palaces.It is a great place to walk with a loved one,a friend or alone and think about life....It is a beautiful city of the dead as is the living Havana outside the walls. It is a place to visit and wander unlike cemeteries in the U.S.
I love the head stones and the chappel inside the cemetery. I enjoyed walking through the cemetery reading all the head stones and relaxing among the deaths with a bottle of rum.
I was born in Cuba and came to the US at an early age. My grandfather and about 2 or three more of my family members that passed away they are all in this cemetery. I recently went back with my mom to Cuba and visit it and my mom says that the cemetery is nothing like in her memories. In my opinion it still looks great, but many of its glorious and impressive statues that made it what it is had been stolen. But it is a must see for anybody who visits.
This gives one a view into the history of Cuba. If you view from above in Google Earth, you truly see the magnificence and grandeur of the cemetary.
I grew up very close to this cementary. It was considered to be the second richest cementary in the world. The place was full of beautiful religious statues. Many of these works were sent to the Soviet Union in exchange for food and oil.
