Is it true that Sāo Paulo is home to the oldest cemetery? It is true. We are standing before the Cemitário de Colônia. It is the oldest operating cemetery in Sāo Paulo.
The Cemitário de Colônia has a rich history. It dates back to 1829. German immigrants founded it. They established an agricultural colony in Parelheiros. The government of Emperor Dom Pedro encouraged them. These immigrants extracted wood. They supplied sawmills in Santo Amaro. The wood was transformed into furniture. It was also used for construction.
Around 300 people from 94 families settled here. The Cemitário de Colônia served Catholics and Protestants. These were the predominant religious groups. Catholic graves got crosses. Protestant graves had no symbols. Today, most crosses are displayed on a wall. They line one side of the necropolis.
Small houses and a simple church once stood beside the cemetery. The Cemitário de Colônia has around two hundred tombs. It operated until World War II. It closed due to a lack of resources. The cemetery partially reopened later. The last burial took place in the 1970s. It closed again in 1996. It was a long period of neglect.
German associations reopened it in 2000. Two new levels were added above the historical section. New burials occur there now. Since 2004, it is a Special Zone of Cultural Preservation.
Many believe Consolação Cemetery is the oldest. But the Cemitário de Colônia is 30 years older. Before the 19th century, Catholics were buried inside churches. They would spend eternity on sacred ground. Angels, saints, and God protected them. The more someone contributed to the church the closer to the altar they were buried. Imagine the smell.
Non-Catholics were buried in the executioner’s cemetery. It was in the Liberdade area. Júlio Frank was a German professor. He arrived in Brazil in 1831. He taught at the Law School of Largo São Francisco. He died young and was not Catholic. His students loved him. He created a secret organization to help poor students. They did not allow him to be buried in the executioner’s cemetery. He was buried in the school’s courtyard. His tomb is now protected.
Dom Pedro I banned cemeteries inside churches. So, there was a need for new cemeteries. The Cemitário de Colônia was created in 1827. Emperor Dom Pedro I donated the land. It was near the Colônia Road. Many knew it as Parelheiros Cemetery.
The Association of Protestant Cemeteries manages the space. They restored its historical features. The Cemitário de Colônia preserves collective memory. It represents historical periods.
It was built by non-Catholic German immigrants. Colonists likely used it unofficially before 1829. It was centrally located among their lands. The cemetery is approximately 60×53 meters. It preserves the history of pioneer colonists on original tombstones. The tombstones are made of brick. They are over 180 years old. Most are well-preserved. Catholics also had a section from 1845. Bamboo fences surrounded it first. Then wooden and mud walls followed. A brick wall surrounds it today. A chapel and funeral home also belonged to the cemetery. It had a wall and gate from 1856. A 2011 survey cataloged 124 tombs.
The crosses were made in the Ipanema foundry. The foundry operated until 1895. The tombstones resemble church towers or small temples. Since 2009, the Caminhos da Leitura Community Library is located there. It hosts cultural activities for the community. The Brazilian Institute of Studies and Community Support initiated the project.
The Cemitário de Colônia is located at Rua Sachio Nakao, 28. The neighborhood has a Japanese name. It also has a second municipal cemetery built in 1905. The Cemitário de Colônia stands as a testament to Sāo Paulo’s diverse past. It reminds us of the lives and cultures that shaped this city.