Rows of silent stones greet you at Cementiri de Sants. This Barcelona cemetery opened in 1880. Architect Jaume Gustà i Bondia designed it. The cemetery holds 5700 graves. It occupies 11000 square meters.
Cementiri de Sants wasn’t always here. Before 1880 Sants’s original parish cemetery overflowed. Neighbors complained of unpleasant smells. The town council searched for a new location. They chose nearby Hospitalet de Llobregat. After negotiations they bought land. The new Cementiri de Sants was blessed in 1878.
The cemetery’s entrance is rectangular. Double pillars support a lintel. It’s inscribed “Cementerio de Sans”. The layout is simple. A central area houses grand mausoleums and a chapel. Side areas feature smaller niches. Materials vary. Artificial stone plastered brick and glazed tiles are used.
The architectural style is eclectic. Sculptures by Pau Gargallo add artistic flair. These are commissioned by artist Maria Pidelaserra. Her family tomb features Gargallo’s work. It’s a beautiful example of art within the cemetery.
Famous figures rest here. Anarchosyndicalist Francesc Comas i Pagès is buried here. So is Father Felix Vivet Trabal. He died during the Spanish Civil War. Actor Guillem Grases and painter Maria Pidelaserra are also interred. Their contributions to Catalan culture are remembered. Even footballer and actor Felix de Pomés finds a place among the stones. The cemetery serves as a quiet resting place for many notable figures.
Cementiri de Sants isn’t merely a cemetery. It is a historic site. It’s a place reflecting Barcelona’s past and its cultural evolution. It is a place of remembrance and reflection. Take a moment here to appreciate the stories held within these stones.