Chacarita Cemetery
Present in tours
Chacarita Cemetery, although less famous than the more aristocratic Recoleta Cemetery, is another interesting visit for the incredible architecture of its tombs and scultptures and the famous people who rest there.
The cemetery contains the tombs of legendary tango singer Carlos Gardel, composer and musician Aníbal Troilo, the great footballer Adolfo Pedernera, the artist Benito Quinquela Martín, guitarist Norberto Napolitano (Pappo) and the actor Alfredo Alcon, among many, many others.
A bit of history
Buenos Aires was struck by a yellow fever outbreak in 1871 and new cemeteries had to be built to cope with the numbers of deaths. The old Chacarita cemetery filled rapidly and was closed, until in 1887, they began exhuming bodies to create this, the "new" Chacarita cemetery. Existing bodies were moved to the new cemetery's ossuary.
Trivia
One of the most visited tombs is that of actor and tango singer Carlos Gardel. The statue of the smiling singer dressed in a suit is positioned with one hand in his trouser pocket and the other bent at waist height, and visitors often leave lit cigarretes in his hand.
The entrance to the park is also noteworthy for its grand depiction of the final judgement, where you can find an excellent reproduction of Michelangelo's Pietà.
