Cementiri del Poblenou - Poblenou Cemetery

About Poblenou Cemetery

The Poblenou Cemetery, Cementiri del Poblenou is also known as the Old or Eastern Cemetery due to its age and location at the time of construction to the east of the old city medieval walls next to the sea. Today it is part of Barcelona city.

The cemetery can be divided into two parts, the original 18th century cemetery which is the first part you will see when walking into the cemetery. The expansion of the cemetery occurred in the 19th century and houses many grand tombs and mausoleums constructed by the most affluent families of the Barcelona. This part contains many of the most artistic sculptures and is the burial place for many of Barcelona's great architects.

There are also anonymous tombs such as the final resting place of the santet (little saint of Poblenou), a boy who died aged 22, from the neighbourhood who still receives many floral tributes because of his kind deeds. The tombs of gypsies often featuring highly realistic sculptures including an elegantly dressed gentleman with a packet of cigarettes in his pocket.

The most famous sculpture in the Cemetery is the Kiss of Death, Petó de la mort, by sculptor Jaume Barba from 1930 which sits atop the tomb of textile merchant Josep Llaudet Soler. The tomb has a verse from Catalan Poet Jacint Verdauger

Poblenou Cementery Tombs of Eminent Catalans

• Josep Anselm Clavé: Composer and founder of the Catalan choir. Musical director at Palau de la Musica
• Frederich Soler y Hubert: better known as Serafí Pitarra was a poet and playwright whos works were written in Catalan.
• Maldà family: Merchants and writers
• Josep Vilaseca i Casanovas: Architect most famous for Arc de Triomf
• Antonio Ginesi: The architect of Poblenou cemetery
• Enric Sagnier: Archiect of Temple Expiatori del Sagrat Cor (Tibidabo church) and many more modernist buildings in Barcelona
• Elies Rogent architect of the Vallvidrera Reservoir dam, restoration of the cloisters of Sant Cugat del Vallès monastery and many more.
• José Fontseré Mestre Architect of Born Market, Parc Cuitadella waterfall monument, Parc Cuitadella greenhouses and many more

Poblenou Cementery History

• 1775: the first cemetery built outside of Barcelona medieval city walls. It was built to deal with over crowding in the graves of the parish churches within the city walls
• 1808: The Poblenou cemetery failed to find favour with the citizens of Barcelona due to being outside of the city walls and at the time, a long way from the city (3Km from the centre of Medieval Barcelona)
• 1817 Poblenou Cemetery was destroyed when Barcelona fell to the Napoleonic Army in 1817
• 1819 Rebuilt and expanded following neoclassical designs by Italian architect Antonio Ginesi (1789-1824)
• 1819, April 15th: blessed by Bishop Pau Sitjar
• 1821: Ginesi parts include the two intersecting paths with the monument dedicated to the victims of the yellow fever which divested Barcelona in 1821,the chapel and portico entrance
• 1849-1852: Enlargement of the cemetery by architect Joan Nolla. This is the section behind the chapel that contains the 120 chapel arches and monumental tombs and mausoleums in diverse styles. These were commissioned by some of the most illustrious families in the city, mainly the new bourgeoisie who made their fortunes in Cuba. known as The Eclectic Department
• 1866: portico entrance is crowned by an angel trumpeting the final judgement by Agapit Vallmitjana Barbany
• 1888: Gate Obelisks with sculptures that symbolize faith and hope by sculptor Francisco Pagés Serratosa

Image Gallery for Poblenou Cemetery

Click on any of the 54 images to open full screen gallery player

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