About the cemetery
Almudena cemetery in Madrid City, the largest in Europe and one of the largest in the world, is home to nearly 5 million graves and has become a tourist attraction.
With a history of 125 years, Almudena is the cemetery of Spain’s greatest personalities and offers tours to tourists interested in its existence.
The cemetery covers 120 acres of land and it is crowded with visitors especially on All Saints' Day, celebrated on November 1. The cemetery was built in 1884 and it soon needed to be expanded, due to the cholera epidemic that has reached Madrid the very same year. The monuments in the cemetery boast various architectural styles: neoclassical, neo-romantic or neo-mudejar, typical Madrilenian, from the late nineteenth century.
Almudena cemetery is said to be the eternal place for a few millions of people, the number being equal to the population of Madrid. Some of the most notable people buried here are Niceto Alcalá-Zamora (1877–1949), president of the Second Spanish Republic, Vicente Aleixandre (1898–1984), poet, Nobel laureate, Dámaso Alonso (1898–1990), writer, Ángel de Andrés (1918–2006), actor, Benito Pérez Galdos (1843–1920), famous Spanish writer, Luis Barbero (1916–2005), actor, Pío Baroja (1872–1956), famous Spanish writer, José Bódalo (1916–1985), actor, Tullio Carminati (1882–1965), Spanish Hollywood actor, Julia Caba Alba (1902–1988), actress, Julian Marias (1914–2005), philosopher, Estrellita Castro (1914–1983), singer, actress, Antonio Flores (1961–1995), rock musician, Lola Flores (1923–1995), actress, Antonio Garisa (1916–1989), actor, José María Caffarel (1919–1999), actor, Irene Gutiérrez Caba (1929–1995), actress, Alfredo Mayo (1911–1985), actor, Antonio Molina (1928–1992), actor, Jose Conde Nieves (1911–2006), director, Luis Peña (1918–1977), actor. Ángel Picazo (1917–1998), actor, Emiliano Piedra (1931–1991), film producer, Federico Romero (1886–1976), poet and librettist, Santiago Ramón y Cajal (1852–1934), scientist, Nobel prize winner, Fernando Rey (1917–1994), actor, Cecilia Sobredo (1948–1976), singer and others. The most visited graves are those of artists and writers, such as Benito Pérez Galdos or the Spanish singer Lola Flores, as well as political figures, such as Dolores Ibarruri, La Pasionaria.
Contacts
Our Lady of Almudena Cemetery
Avenida de las Trece Rosas
28017 Madrid
Spain