Poblenou Cemetery facts for kids
Poblenou Cemetery is a famous and historic cemetery in Barcelona, Spain. It's located in the Poblenou neighborhood. People also call it the East Cemetery or General Cemetery. You can find its main entrance on Avenida Icària.
The first cemetery here was built in 1775. It was placed outside the city walls because churchyard graves inside the old city were not very clean. After this first cemetery was destroyed by Napoleon's troops in 1813, an Italian architect named Antonio Ginesi was asked to rebuild it. The new cemetery was officially opened again by Bishop Pau de Sitjar i Ruata on April 15, 1819. Bishop Josep Climent i Avinent of Barcelona formally opened it in 1898.
Contents
Exploring the Cemetery's Sections
The cemetery has two main parts. At the front, Ginesi designed rows of burial niches, which are like small compartments in a wall for graves. These were made for everyone. At the back, there's an area with large, individual monuments and mausoleums. These were built for the rich families, merchants, and business owners of the city. There is also a third, smaller section along the South wall that has a mix of niches, monuments, and common graves.
The Famous Kiss of Death Sculpture
The sculpture above the grave of Josep Llaudet Soler is often called the most famous monument in Poblenou. It's known as The Kiss of Death (El petó de la mort in Catalan or El beso de la muerte in Spanish). This artwork was made in 1930. It shows a skeleton with wings gently kissing the cheek of a young man who looks like he is no longer alive. The name of the artist, Jaume Barba, is carved into the base. However, some people believe the idea for the artwork came from Joan Fontbernat.
Notable People Buried Here
Many important people are buried at Poblenou Cemetery. Here are a few:
- Valentí Almirall i Llozer, a Catalan politician and nationalist.
- Lola Anglada, a well-known illustrator.
- Xavier Benguerel, an author.
- Francesc Canals i Ambrós, also known as "Santet," a young man from Barcelona. People believe he performed miracles after he died at age 22.
- Josep Anselm Clavé i Camps, a musician and politician.
- José Mariano de Cabanes, who was a mayor of Barcelona.
- José Luis de Vilallonga, a writer, actor, and aristocrat.
- Josep Llimona i Bruguera, a famous sculptor.
- Miguel Llobet, a classical guitarist.
- Narcís Oller, an author.
- Manuel Porcar i Tió, who was also a mayor of Barcelona.
- Ramon Reventós i Farrarons, an architect.
- Jordi Sabater i Pi, an ecologist who studied animals, especially primates.
- Mary Santpere, an actress.
- Cast Sendra i Barrufet (Cassen), an actor.
- Carmen Tórtola Valencia, a ballerina.
See also
In Spanish: Cementerio de Pueblo Nuevo para niños
