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Santiago General Cemetery

Santiago, Italy

Santiago General Cemetery

The Santiago General Cemetery (Spanish: Cementerio General de Santiago) in Santiago, Chile, is one of the largest cemeteries in Latin America with an estimated two million burials. The cemetery was established in 1821 after Chile's independence when Bernardo O'Higgins inaugurated the Alameda de las

Delicias along the old course of the Mapocho River. O'Higgins set aside more than 85 hectares of land for the foundation of what became a magnificent grounds filled with ornate mausoleums surrounded by palm and leaf trees set amidst lush gardens and numerous sculptures, which have been estimated be 237. The cemetery, which is located northwest of Cerro Blanco, serves as a true urban park for Santiago located in the municipality of Recoleta. This cemetery is the final resting place for at least 172 of the most influential people in Chile, including all but three of the deceased Presidents of Chile, the exceptions being Gabriel González Videla, Augusto Pinochet and Sebastián Piñera. In 1854, the Dissidents’ Courtyard was established within the cemetery to provide a dedicated burial area for non-Catholics. One of the most visited memorials is that of former President Salvador Allende who had...

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