The Cristóbal Colón Necropolis is a magnificent urban funeral complex covering an area of 57 hectares. In 1987, it was declared a National Monument of Cuba.
It was designed by Calixto Aureliano de Loira y Cardoso, a graduate of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernando in Madrid. In 1870, this prominent Spanish architect won the public competition held by the Board of Cemeteries in Havana for the construction of the Colón Cemetery.
The layout of the necropolis is divided into a large central cross that forms four main areas, known as quarters, which are designated according to the cardinal points: Northeast, Northwest, Southeast, and Southwest. This defines its composition as a grid of streets, blocks, and lots.
The two main central avenues that divide the layout of the cemetery are 21 meters wide, with one running from North to South and the other from East to West.
Along their route, these avenues intersect perpendicularly, and at this crossing lies the Chapel, creating a roundabout at the center of the necropolis. The chapel of the Colón Cemetery has an octagonal design and is the only one of its kind in Cuba.
The construction of this impressive cemetery took 16 years. It was opened to the public on July 2, 1886.
Over the years, this institution has undergone various necessary modifications to improve funeral services in a city that has seen a significant population increase. In 1959, the cemetery was intervened by the Revolution, and in 1967, it was nationalized.
The Colón Cemetery has over 52,000 properties, of which 8,000 hold Heritage Protection Grades I and II.
The main façade, built between 1871 and 1874 from carved stone, is the work of architect Eugenio Rayneri. In 1899, this decorative ensemble received two high-reliefs depicting the Resurrection of Lazarus and the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ, both created by the Cuban sculptor José Vilalta Saavedra.
The sculptural group that crowns the main entrance of Colón Cemetery consists of three marble statues representing the Three Theological Virtues: Faith, Hope, and Charity. At the base, there is an inscription in Latin that reads, Janua Sum Pacis, meaning "I am the Door of Peace."
Cubans pay tribute to El Taiger at his grave in Havana.
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This is the state of the graves of Catalina Lasa and Juan Pedro Baró in the Havana Cemetery.
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El Dany's widow relocates his remains due to safety concerns at the Colón Cemetery.
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Difficult to locate the tomb of Juana Bacallao in Colón Cemetery in Havana.
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Human remains are exposed in the cemetery of Bayamo.
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A Cuban visits her grandfather's grave in Colón Cemetery and finds many open: "It's sad."
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Cuban animal advocates march for Dog Day to the Colón Cemetery.
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Electric motorcycles were crushed by a Lada after an accident in front of the Colón Cemetery.
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Workers at Colón Cemetery have to handle the remains with bare hands.
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Images of Juana Bacallao's wake revealed: an almost empty funeral home.
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A trench full of bones uncovered outdoors in Colón Cemetery
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Family members bid farewell to Cuban writer Newton Briones Montoto in Havana.
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They are asking for help to care for the dogs at Colón Cemetery.
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Exposed bones and desecrated graves in the cemetery of Artemisa.
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Rescuers who died in a collapse in Havana are honored during their farewell.
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A video of the fire that claimed the life of a teenager in Havana has been released.
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El Micha visits El Dany's grave with Yomil.
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The family who died in a fire in Havana is laid to rest at the Colón cemetery.
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Thousands of Cubans attended the Colón Cemetery to visit their mothers' graves.
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