Santiago General Cemetery facts for kids
Entrance
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| Details | |
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| Established | 9 December 1820 |
| Location |
Commune of Recoleta, Santiago
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| Country | Chile |
| Size | 85 hectares (210 acres) |
| No. of interments | ~ 2 million |
The Santiago General Cemetery (Spanish: Cementerio General de Santiago) is a very large and important cemetery in Santiago, Chile. It is one of the biggest cemeteries in Latin America, with about two million people buried there.
This special place was started in 1821, soon after Chile became an independent country. Bernardo O'Higgins, a key leader in Chile's history, helped create it. He set aside a huge area of land, more than 85 hectares, for the cemetery. It became a beautiful space with fancy mausoleums (large tombs), many palm and leafy trees, green gardens, and lots of sculptures. People think there are about 237 sculptures there!
The cemetery is like a big urban park for Santiago. It is located in the Recoleta part of the city, northwest of Cerro Blanco.
This cemetery is the final resting place for many important people from Chile's history. At least 172 very influential people are buried here. This includes almost all of Chile's past Presidents, except for two. One famous president, Salvador Allende, was moved to a special place of honor in this cemetery in the 1990s.
The cemetery also has a special memorial. This memorial remembers people who went missing during a difficult time in Chile's history.
Exploring the Cemetery
The main entrance to the cemetery is a gatehouse with a dome on top. This dome is a beautiful sight at the end of La Paz Avenue. Before the entrance, there is a half-circle shaped square called Plaza La Paz. This square has two brick archways around its curved part. In the middle of the square, there is a monument. It honors the people who died in the Church of the Company Fire. You can easily get to the cemetery by using the Cementerios metro station.
In 2010, the oldest part of the cemetery was named a national monument. This means it is a very important historical site, just like Patio 29.
Famous People Buried Here
Many well-known people are buried at the Santiago General Cemetery. Here are some of them:
- Salvador Allende (1908–1973), a former President of Chile.
- Arturo Alessandri (1868–1950), another former President of Chile.
- Jorge Alessandri (1896–1986), also a former President of Chile.
- Eduardo Frei Montalva (1911–1982), a former President of Chile.
- Patricio Aylwin (1918–2016), a former President of Chile.
- Eduardo Alquinta (1945–2003), a musician and leader of the Chilean band Los Jaivas.
- Víctor Jara (1932–1973), a famous poet and folk singer.
- Violeta Parra (1917–1967), a well-known folk singer.
- Jaime Guzmán (1946–1991), a Senator.
- Orlando Letelier (1932–1976), an important statesman.
- Carlos Prats (1915–1974), a general and statesman.
- Miguel Enríquez Espinosa (1944–1974), a political leader.
- Max Westenhofer (1871–1957), a German scientist and professor.
- Erich Honecker (1912–1994), a political leader from Germany.
- Daniel Zamudio (1987-2012), a young man whose story brought about important changes.
See also
In Spanish: Cementerio General de Santiago para niños
