The Cemetery

We live just a few blocks from the Cemiterio dos Prazeres, the largest cemetery in Lisbon. It’s mostly (maybe all) above ground burials with mausoleums from small to huge. It’s only open from 9 to 5 now, and even in the summer only from 9 to 6, so the light can be a little intense except when it’s raining. The cemetery was built in 1833 when the cholera epidemic raged, so there are people here who died in the 1700s.

The cemetery is like a little town, with streets, steps, and beautiful lookout views to the south. It’s a constant surprise to find another little street of mausoleums and other forms of burial. And families are gathered together after they die inside the buildings in this small town.

There are fresh flowers and well-tended mausoleums and gravestones and there are ones showing signs of neglect. The neglected ones probably belong to families who have moved, whose lineage ended, or who lost connection with ancestors over the years. There’s a lot of contrast, some of the abandoned mausoleums are even open enough to reach in and touch the caskets.

Anyone visiting the city can easily get to the cemetery by riding the 25 or 28 tram to the end in Campo de Ourique. The entrance is just across the street from the line termination. Give me a shout and I will come out and act as a tour guide!

Here’s a slideshow with way too many photos, some through windows or broken glass and some just outside: