Colon Cemetery, Havana

Colon Cemetery, Havana (must see)

The Colon Cemetery in Havana stands as a significant symbol of Latin American history and architectural excellence, second only to Buenos Aires' La Recoleta Cemetery. Established due to the urgent need for burial space after a cholera outbreak in 1868, this necropolis marks a significant departure from Havana's earlier burial customs, which primarily involved interments in church crypts and the Espada Cemetery since 1806.

Being a Catholic burial ground, the Colon Cemetery boasts an impressive collection of intricate monuments, tombs, and statues created by artists from the 19th and 20th centuries. The allocation of burial plots reflected the societal hierarchy, with affluent families competing to display their wealth and power through increasingly extravagant mausoleums. The main entrance of the cemetery features a distinguished gateway adorned with biblical reliefs, topped by a marble sculpture representing Faith, Hope, and Charity by José Vilalta Saavedra.

The layout of the cemetery is meticulously organized, with the main gate leading to the Central Chapel, an octagonal structure inspired by Florence's Il Duomo, and including specialized chapels. The streets surrounding the cemetery extend in a geometric pattern across its 50 hectares, with different sections reserved for various social classes, religious figures, military personnel, brotherhoods, the affluent, the impoverished, infants, epidemic victims, pagans, and the condemned. The most prestigious tombs are situated along the central avenues.

With more than 800,000 graves and 1 million interments, space within the Colon Cemetery is highly coveted, prompting a policy where remains are exhumed and stored in a dedicated building three years after burial to accommodate new interments. The cemetery, while beautiful and historically significant, also shows signs of neglect and decay, especially in the tombs of families exiled since the Cuban Revolution of 1959.

Why You Should Visit:
This cemetery is so impressive that it was declared a National Monument of Cuba. It is the size of a small town, full of eye-opening architecture and all the history you could want.
A must-see if you're interested to learn about the Cuban way of dealing with death. Local tour guides are available for a tip.

Tip:
There is little shade, so bring a hat or umbrella to protect yourself from the sun as you walk around.
The cemetery is large, and even a short tour could easily take an hour or more.

Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Havana. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

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Colon Cemetery on Map

Sight Name: Colon Cemetery
Sight Location: Havana, Cuba (See walking tours in Havana)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark

Walking Tours in Havana, Cuba

Create Your Own Walk in Havana

Create Your Own Walk in Havana

Creating your own self-guided walk in Havana is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Hemingway's Havana Walking Tour

Hemingway's Havana Walking Tour

Ever since Hemingway first visited Cuba in 1928 until his death in 1961, he felt an intense connection with the people and culture of Cuba. Hemingway lived at Hotel Ambos Mundos during the 1930s, and began, wrote, and finished several novels there. Today, you can see some of Hemingway's belongings in Room 511.

Hemingway was a frequent patron at El Floridita, famous for its daiquiris....  view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.1 Km or 0.7 Miles
Old Palaces Walking Tour

Old Palaces Walking Tour

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Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
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Old Town Walking Tour

Old Town Walking Tour

The Spanish founded Havana in 1519. After French pirate Jacques de Sores ransacked the city in 1555, the Castle of the Royal Force was built to protect the city.

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Old Havana is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The historic city has five...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.7 Km or 1.7 Miles
Historical Churches and Cathedrals Walking Tour

Historical Churches and Cathedrals Walking Tour

Discovered and conquered by Spanish colonists in the early 16th century, Havana has turned into a major religious center of Catholicism in the Caribbean. Although a communist regime is currently in power, many of the churches, cathedrals, and other religious buildings have been preserved and still give a glimpse of the city’s religious heritage.

The old Havana Cathedral, located in a...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.1 Km or 1.9 Miles

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