Christopher Columbus Cemetery

Visit the Christopher Columbus Cemetery in Vedado, Havana, Cuba, and see where many Cuban figures go to rest

Christopher Columbus Cemetery
© Roberto Garaicoa Martinez

Necrópolis de Cristóbal Colón (Christopher Columbus Cemetery, declared National Monument and considered one of the most important monumental cemeteries in the world is located in Vedado, in the city of Havana.

This 56-hectare cemetery is famous for its incredible religious iconography and its detailed marble sculptures. Here, a great amount of monuments of different styles and trends, as many belonging to Cuban as to foreign sculptors, are found.

Apart from being thrilling, taking a tour through this cemetery can be an educative and emotional trip through Cuban history.

Just after passing the north entrance, Neo-Romanesque in style (1870), you’ll find on your right the tomb of the pro-independence hero Máximo Gómez. It’s worth taking a good look at the bronze face in the circular medallion.

A bit further ahead is the Firefighter's Monument, dating from 1890, and the central Neo-Romanesque central chapel, dating from 1886.

In the heart of the cemetery, in Calle 1 (cornering F), is the most famous and visited chapel in the cemetery, the Amelia Goyre de la Hoz Chapel, commonly known as La Milagrosa (The Miraculous). The legend goes that this woman died while giving birth, and her disconsolate husband, who used to visit the tomb several times a day, always knocked the door before entering with one of the rings from the mausoleum, and when leaving always walked backwards to gaze upon her longer. Years later, they exhumed the human remains and Amelia’s were intact, and which according to Catholic faith is a clear sign of holiness, and the baby buried on her feet was then on her arms. From that moment on, La Milagrosa became a place of spiritual worship and thousands of pilgrims visit her tomb every year with the hope of having their dreams fulfilled. As tradition demands, its visitors knock the door with the ring before entering and when they leave they do so walking backwards.

Another famous tomb is the tomb of Eduardo Chibás, leader of the Orthodox Party. This tomb is located in Calle 8. Chibás was a tireless fighter against political corruption who committed suicide as a form of protest during a radio program in 1951. During his burial, a young Fidel Castro jumped atop his tomb and gave a speech denouncing the established power.

Other renowned tombs here are those such as that of novelist Alejo Carpentier, scientist Carlos Finlay, the martyrs of Granma, and veterans of the War of Independence.

At the entrance, for 5 CUC, you’ll be able to acquire a guide with a map with all the most interesting places in this cemetery in detail.

More information:

Location:

Necrópolis de Cristóbal Colón, Havana - Cuba.

Ticket Price:

5 CUC.

Opening Hours:

From 8:00am to 5:00pm.

Interactive map:

Other nearby destinations:

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✓ To make Cuba, its culture and its heritage known.
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