Cementerio General, La Paz

The General Cemetery of La Paz (Cementerio General de La Paz) is a publicly accessible burial ground situated in the Max Paredes macro-district, located in the northwestern part of La Paz. This cemetery was established during the presidency of Andrés de Santa Cruz in 1826.

Over the years, since its establishment, the Cementerio General has expanded significantly in size to the extent that it now resembles a miniature city within itself. Covering a vast area of approximately 1.5 miles, equivalent to 15 city blocks, the prominent features here are rows of individual concrete compartments, each housed within structures towering over four stories high.

In the cemetery, you can find the resting places of some notable individuals, including Daniel Sánchez Bustamante, General Eeliodoro Camacho, Gastón Velasco, Germain Bush, Father Luis Espinal Camps, and numerous other men and women who have made significant contributions to Bolivia's history.

The main entrance to the General Cemetery serves as the entry point for funeral processions. This entrance is marked by an arch and can be accessed from Avenida Baptista. It leads directly to the main chapel, which is a Catholic temple designed by the urban architect Julio Mariaca Pando.

The layout and structure of the cemetery have evolved through various stages of construction and feature diverse architectural styles. The design incorporates pedestrian pathways made from different materials, connecting various sections such as group pavilions referred to as barracks, family and personal mausoleums, and tributes dedicated to notable individuals.