Colón Cemetery

About this place

Colón Cemetery, in full the Christopher Columbus Cemetery, was founded in 1876 in Havana's Vedado district to replace the Espada Cemetery. It is known for its finely sculpted memorials, with an estimated 500 or more major mausoleums. It is among the most important cemeteries in Latin America for history and architecture, ranked second only to La Recoleta in Buenos Aires. Before it opened, Havana's dead were laid in church crypts, Havana Cathedral among them. The Espada Cemetery then opened in 1806 in the San Lázaro district. When that could no longer meet the need, this broad cemetery was laid out in Vedado and named for Columbus, and it has served Cuban families for generations. You enter by a large stone arch covered in fine carving, then walk straight avenues between rows of white marble tombs. You see small mausoleums with pointed towers and domes, along with statues of angels and sorrowing women with wide wings, sharp against the blue sky. Morning is the best time for photos, with the sun low. It is about 4 km from the Capitol in a straight line, so take a taxi. The cemetery is still in use and you may meet a funeral, so behave quietly and with respect, and dress modestly. There is almost no shade, so bring a hat and water. The UK Foreign Office advises against all but essential travel to Cuba because of fuel, power and water shortages, so read the current advice before you plan.