“The cemetery is an open space among the ruins, covered in winter with violets and daisies. It might make one in love with death, to think that one should be buried in so sweet a place.”
Percy Bysshe Shelley, Adonais
While
we were in Old San Juan, we visited the ancient fortress, San Felipe
del Morro Castle which was such an amazing and impressive site.
When we walked up to the top level of the fort, there were great
views of not only the ocean but also of the extraordinary bleached
white graveyard built right up against El Morro on a hill overlooking
the Atlantic Ocean called Santa Maria Magdelena de Pazzis or Old San
Juan Cemetery. The cemetery was named after an Italian Carmalite
nun and mystic who was declared a saint by the Catholic Church.
Walking
around the section of the wall of old San Juan near the cemetery, we
looked over to view the cemetery which seemed to gleam in the
sunlight. The graves are very close together but have very
intricate designed gravestones. This graveyard was established in
the late 1800’s and is the burial spot for many famous citizens
including Jose Ferrer (Academy Award winning actor and director),
Jose de Diego (poet, lawyer, and liberal politician), Rafael
Hernandez (composer and musician), Jose Celso Barbosa (founder of
the Puerto Rican statehood movement), Salvador Brau (journalist,
historian, and poet), as well as many others. Construction of the
cemetery was begun in 1863 and has been taken care of by the
Carmelite nuns ever since.
I
walked down a steep and curved road that lead to the historic
cemetery. As I walked down this narrow blue cobblestone road, every
so often a beep of a car would sound, warning walkers to get out of
the way. At the bottom of the road was a large gate with a wrought
iron gate that I walked through into the beautiful cemetery. Some
of the graves are placed so close, you can not walk around them.
There are some of the most beautiful statues there that are very
intricate and elaborate that appear to be reaching up to the Heavens.
These gorgeous white headstones look even more radiant with the sun
shining on them and the blue sea shimmering behind them.
The
cemetery is divided into two parts, the old and the new. As I walked
from one section to the next, I noticed many chickens and roosters
happily roaming on the ground. I saw a mamma chicken herding her
baby chicks. I viewed many beautiful headstones as well as a lot
of damaged ones. I am not sure if the damage was from hurricanes,
natural wear and tear, or vandalism. I heard that when Hurricane
Maria hit the island, the ocean, just outside the cemetery, battered
and toppled many gravestones which damaged even more headstones. So
sad to see the damage and I pray that one day all the damaged
gravestones will be fixed. The large gate to the cemetery from La
Perla that is painted yellow and white with a cross adorning to top.
There
is a small picturesque round chapel in the middle of the cemetery
where you can get an elevated view of the tombs and the ocean below.
There are great views of El Morro to see as well. Some local
people believed being buried next to the ocean front is symbolic of
the journey over the after life. It originates from Spanish
superstitions and fear of death. This is a very sought after
cemetery to be buried in and people pay top dollar to have the
privilege of being placed here after death.
This
is a beautiful and solemn holy ground to walk around. It is a quiet
area to walk around and reflect on the history around you as well as
to say prayers for those who have passed before us. What a gorgeous
final resting place for so many. This is one of the most beautiful
cemeteries in the world and well worth a visit. After strolling
through it, I feel it is a must stop on your tour of Old San Juan.
The cemetery is open during the day to visit.
Till
next time. Bye for now.
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