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All Bolivia La Paz Cementerio General

Cementerio General

In La Paz's huge, city-sized cemetery, the deceased are stored in rows of apartment-like buildings.

La Paz, Bolivia

Added By
Lemonotrio
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  Max Cortesi (Atlas Obscura user)
  Max Cortesi (Atlas Obscura user)
The decorated shrines.   Lemonotrio / Atlas Obscura User
The cemetery with El Alto in the backgroun   Lemonotrio / Atlas Obscura User
Murals decorate the walls of the cemetery.   Lemonotrio / Atlas Obscura User
More murals.   Lemonotrio / Atlas Obscura User
They can be seen all around the cemetery.   Lemonotrio / Atlas Obscura User
More murals.   Lemonotrio / Atlas Obscura User
More murals.   Lemonotrio / Atlas Obscura User
Cardboard protecting the objects and pictures from the sun.   Lemonotrio / Atlas Obscura User
View of loculi with tiny bottles of Coke.   Lemonotrio / Atlas Obscura User
Intricately decorated shrines.   Lemonotrio / Atlas Obscura User
Smaller scale of loculi.   Lemonotrio / Atlas Obscura User
News of imminent eviction.   Lemonotrio / Atlas Obscura User
Decorated shrines.   Lemonotrio / Atlas Obscura User
A view of the Red Teleferico   Lemonotrio / Atlas Obscura User
The extension of the Cementerio general.   Lemonotrio / Atlas Obscura User
Aerial View from the cable car.   Lemonotrio / Atlas Obscura User
Loculi underneath the stairs.   Lemonotrio / Atlas Obscura User
Ruined individual niches.   Lemonotrio / Atlas Obscura User
Glass-covered shrines.   Max Cortesi (Atlas Obscura user)
Broken shrines.   Max Cortesi (Atlas Obscura user)
  Ursula / Atlas Obscura User
  Ursula / Atlas Obscura User
  Ursula / Atlas Obscura User
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  Ursula / Atlas Obscura User
  Ursula / Atlas Obscura User
  Ursula / Atlas Obscura User
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  Ursula / Atlas Obscura User
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  Ursula / Atlas Obscura User
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About

In the Bolivian capital of La Paz, overcrowding is not restricted to the living. The city’s cemeteries are so full that that a crypt in the biggest one, the Cementerio General, is only reserved for 10 years, after which the remains need to be cremated and collected by the deceased’s family, or stored in a smaller space. 

Since its establishment in 1826, the Cementerio General, located between the city’s historic center and El Alto, has grown so much in size that it resembles a city in itself. Spread over 1.5 miles, the equivalent of 15 city blocks, the predominant sites are rows of individual concrete compartments, each set in structures over four stories high. 

The compact tombs stacked one above another are framed by a shrine covered with glass, which are decorated with flowers, photos, and other mementos that are placed there by bereaved families. These are added with the help of ladders to aid the deceased’s journey into the afterlife, and are part of a tradition where death is seen a continuation of life.

The building facades painted with colorful murals frame an intricate series of alleys, where relatives organize parties, lunches, and family gatherings in front of their loved ones, and even play songs to the dead. The cemetery becomes even more boisterous during the "Day of the Dead" festivities, where each family visits their beloved relatives and spends the entire day there, feasting and celebrating. 

This colorful exterior masks the cemetery’s problems that are continually exacerbated by its rapid expansion and huge demand. Many people are buried without order and documents, and others are evicted if cemetery fees have not been paid. If fee deadlines are missed or cannot be met, the bodies are sometimes removed and cannot be traced. 

Related Tags

Cemeteries Death Tombs Graveyards Urban Planning

Know Before You Go

Easiest access from the Red Teleferico in central La Paz. Second stop before El Alto.

Community Contributors

Added By

Lemonotrio

Edited By

Max Cortesi, Ursula

  • Max Cortesi
  • Ursula

Published

June 21, 2017

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Sources
  • http://www.lapazlife.com/cementerio-general-la-paz/
  • https://lookwhatwedone.com/2015/08/22/lets-go-down-to-the-cemetery-bolivian-cemeteries/
  • http://www.raisingmiro.com/2015/09/08/the-place-the-spirits-seek-peace-in-la-paz-bolivia/
Cementerio General
Av.Baptista
La Paz
Bolivia
-16.497037, -68.151805
Visit Website
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Nearby Places

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