Historic Funeral Carriages museum in Montjuïc Cemetery

About Historic Funeral Carriages museum Montjuïc Cemetery

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.

Montjuïc Cemetery is Barcelona's second oldest cemetery after Poblenou Cemetery.

Montjuïc Cemetery Funeral Carriages Museum History

The need for funeral carriage vehicles came about during the 18th Century with the massive population explosion in Barcelona and city expansion (La Example) 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 located outside of the city 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.

Visiting Historic Funeral Carriages museum Montjuïc Cemetery

The Montjuïc Cemetery Funeral Carriages Museum collection consists of about 20 vehicles in total of different styles.

• Gothic: named for its ornamentation and gothic influence, the decorative style reflects the fashion prominent at the end of the 19th century.
• Grand Doumont: imperial in style, based on the model created by the French Duke Louis d'Aumont. Built in Paris by the Cellini house in the 18th century. In the early 19th century it was drawn by six horses. It was used in Madrid for burials of popular figures such as the bullfighter José Gómez Joselito, killed by the bull Bailaor in May 1920.
• Imperial: This carriage represented the height of luxury and vanity. Its final burial was that of Mayor Enrique Tierno Galván in 1986, for which it was transported to Madrid.
• Estufa: used to describe in the most luxurious of aristocratic carriages from the 18th century in which the internal area was enclosed in large and costly glass frames. Made in Barcelona, it was the most popular carriage for the burial of important people such as Santiago Rusiñol, Enric Prat de la Riba and the Count Ramón Godó Lallana during the 1920s and 1930s.
• Araña: The Spider, during the early decades of the 19th century it was the most used carriage among the working classes. It could be made more or less luxurious depending on the number of horses drawing it (up to six), and on the mourning textiles, adornments and accessories used.
• The White Carriages: White is the colour of purity, fidelity and innocence and these vehicles were used to transport children and unmarried women as it was believed that this group of people embodied the values attributed to the colour white. The wealthier the family the more ornate the white carriage and there are several on display in the museum.
• Morning families carriages: used by the immediate family to follow the funeral procession. The Montjuïc Cemetery Funeral Carriages Museum has 6 accompanying vehicles from a range of eras that were used up until the mid 20th century. These vehicles do not carry any funeral-related markings as they were not exclusive to the funeral sector and were also used for other purposes.
• Viuda Negra: The Black Widow was used to transport widows and immediate family and is entirely black in colour.
• Motorised Hearses: there are also 3 motor vehicles that were used at different times. The Hispano Suïssa and Studebaker were used in the city between the 1920s and 1940s. There is also a Buick Riviera, a luxury American car that was difficult to import during the period. It was withdrawn from service during the fuel crisis and became part of the collection in 1976.

Montjuïc Cemetery Funeral Carriages Museum Tickets

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 Montjuïc 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.

Montjuïc Cemetery Funeral Carriages Museum Opening Hours

• Funeral Carriages Museum: Saturday & Sunday 10:00h to 14:00h
• Montjuïc Cemetery: Monday to Sunday 08:00h to 18:00h
Montjuic Cemetery HomepageFuneral Carriages Opening HoursGuided Day TourGuided Night Tour

Historic Funeral Carriages museum Montjuïc Cemetery Summary of Prices Summary of Prices

Map for Historic Funeral Carriages museum Montjuïc Cemetery

Weather for Historic Funeral Carriages museum Montjuïc Cemetery