Barcelona

The rich legacy currently managed by Barcelona Cemeteries also offers a complex of sites for memory and culture.

The volume features the multidisciplinary perspectives of a wide range of experts, offering a broad and cross-cutting look at funerals. The last part is the catalogue for the “Herència i memòria” [Heritage and Memory] exhibition, which presents some of the most notable funerary works from the University of Barcelona’s Early Collection.

In the 18th century, the introduction of a concept of progress linked to a growing concern for hygiene led to the physical separation of the living and the dead through the construction of cemeteries outside city centres. This was facilitated by specific legislation, but also by the development of particular urban planning systems and construction technology which in turn led to cultural landscapes that have evolved over time and reflect the unique characteristics of each area.

In the case of Barcelona, the demographic expansion of the 19th century led to the creation of new cemeteries, such as those in Poblenou and Montjuïc, which mirror the city’s social system: the lower classes were buried directly in the ground, while the bourgeoisie had lavish mausoleums. Some of these mausoleums are among the greatest works of architects such as Elies Rogent, Leandre Albareda and Josep Oriol Mestres, and were later decorated by some of the most renowned artists of the time, such as sculptors Agapit and Venanci Vallmitjana, Rafael Atxé, Rossend Nobas, Joan Roig i Soler, Eduard B. Alentorn and Enric Clarasó; metal forger Frederic Masriera, and stained-glass artist Eudald Ramon Amigó.