
Day Trip Rucksack
Small 10L day trip and museums rucksack
Montjuïc Cemetery Funeral Carriages Museum, or Museu de Carrosses Fúnebres is one of the finest collections of funeral carriages and hearses in Europe, and helps retrace the history of funeral customs in Barcelona over the past few centuries.
The need for funeral carriage vehicles came about during the 18th Century with the massive population explosion in Barcelona due to the industrial revolution. This was because previously, burials were performed in the local churches within the city but now there was a need for a large cemetery to cater to the increased demand for burial space.
Poble Nou Cemetery was built first and at time was a few kilometres outside of the city, thus the need for carriages. As The population of Barcelona grew a new Cemetery was required so Montjuïc Cemetery was opened on 17th of March 1883.
The Barcelona Funeral Carriages Museum has been around since the 1970's because the then Municipal Cemeteries manger, Cristóbal Torra, decided to preserve the obsolete horse drawn hearses as they were being replaced with motorised vehicles.
The Museum was then displayed in the Sancho d'Avila Municipal funeral building (near Metro Marina) until June 2012 when it was transferred to the new custom built museum premises within Montjuïc Cemetery.
It is a unique collection of historic Funeral Carriages from the end of the 18th Century.
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The Museum and Cemetery are FREE to visit.
Once you have finished in the museum you will be given, on your way out, a map of the historic Montjuic cemetery with several walking routes that point out the burial tombs and shrines of Prominent Barcelona citizens as you stroll round the Cemetery.
I highly recommend taking a stroll round the tree lined cemetery as the tombs are beautiful tributes and the cemetery has a serenity that is hard to put into words.
NOTE: Montjuïc Cemetery is an active cemetery with mourners so be respectful when strolling around.
The Historic Funeral Carriages Museum has all of the carriages on the ground floor with ramp access to the entrance. Inside ther is a long ramp to the mezzanine floor.
The historic cemetery has various terrace levels linked by steps and roads.
There are fountains inside the cemetery but I would take a litre of water if your planning a long walk around the historic cemetery.
I always take my 10L museums rucksack for this activity. This is an active cemetery so please dress appropriately. No need for black attire, but not beachwear, or other provocative clothing.
Address: Carrer de la Mare de Deu de Port 56, Barcelona. 08038
Historic Funeral Carriages museum inside Montjuïc Cemetery can be reached by walking 1km from TMB Foc Metro startion on the light blue (L10) line.
TMB busses 21 and 107 stop outside the Funeral Carriages Museum.
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