Cementerio Cristóbal Colón (Colon Cemetery) is one of the great urban cemeteries of the world — a 56-hectare necropolis laid out in a grid in 1876 with over 500 ornate mausoleums, chapels, and marble sculptures that form one of the finest open-air sculpture collections in Latin America. The cemetery was designed by Calixto de Loira (who died before completion and became its first resident), and its monumental gateway, tree-lined avenues, and profusion of Carrara marble angels make it a destination in its own right.
The most famous grave is that of La Milagrosa (Amelia Goyri), a young woman who died in childbirth in 1901 and whose grave became a pilgrimage site when her body was supposedly exhumed intact. Women hoping to conceive knock on the marble tomb three times and walk away without turning back. The tombs of José Lezama Lima (the novelist), Hubert de Blanck (the composer), and many of Cuba's 19th-century independence leaders are also here. Guided walking tours are available.
Verified Facts
The cemetery covers 56 hectares and was laid out in 1876
It contains over 500 mausoleums and chapels
La Milagrosa is a pilgrimage site for women hoping to conceive
The designer Calixto de Loira was the first person buried here
Get walking directions
Calzada Zapata, Plaza de la Revolución, Havana, Cuba
