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Author: Robert

086. mendes gonçalves-varela martonell

Published by Robert on 8 January 2008

Mendes Gonçalves, Recoleta Cemetery

With most of the production of yerba mate—a traditional, South American bitter tea—originating in Paraguay & Brazil, several foreign companies supplied Argentina’s demand throughout the 20th century. Plaques on the mausoleum are dedicated to the most influential president of the Empresa Mate Laranjeira, native Brazilian Ricardo Mendes Gonçalves:

Mendes Gonçalves, Recoleta Cemetery

Mendes Gonçalves, Recoleta Cemetery

Responsible for the distribution of the Cruz de Malta brand, the main warehouse was located in the neighborhood of Barracas on the edge of San Telmo & La Boca. Although warehouse facilities were later moved outside the city limits, the building still remains & occupies its own city block. It appears to have been purchased & interior renovation is currently underway… lofts or a hotel may be coming soon.

Cruz de Malta, Barracas

Cruz de Malta, Barracas

Cruz de Malta, Barracas

Update (Oct 2009): All the fine iron work has been removed & the restoration project completed. Nothing as fancy as a hotel, the building is now used as office space for HSBC.

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084. josé mármol

Published by Robert on 6 January 2008

José Mármol, Recoleta Cemetery

Although labeled as the Sepulcro Milano, one of the first great literary figures of Argentina is buried here—José Mármol. Born in 1818, Mármol became involved in politics at an early age. He didn’t complete his law degree due to fierce opposition & activism against the dictatorial style of Juan Manuel de Rosas. After being imprisoned for arguing with members of the Rosas family, Mármol decided to leave Buenos Aires. He met other anti-Rosas comrades in Montevideo & was inspired to write. When the forces of Rosas invaded Montevideo, Mármol moved even further away… this time to Rio de Janeiro. By the time Rosas was removed from Argentina, Mármol had been away from Buenos Aires for 13 years. From 1845 to 1868, he occupied several government positions. His last duty before going blind & passing away in 1871 was director of the National Library.

In spite of a life dedicated to serving his nation, José Mármol is most remembered for his first novel, Amália. Published in serial form beginning in 1844, the 75-chapter novel successfully mixed romance with current events so well that readers weren’t sure if they were reading fact or fiction.

A quick plot summary: Eduardo Belgrano is wounded in an attempt to escape Buenos Aires & the rule of Rosas. A friend, Daniel, saves Eduardo’s life & gives him refuge in the house of his cousin… a young widow named Amália. Daniel & Amália pretend to support Rosas in order to keep Eduardo safe, & of course this gives time for Eduardo & Amália to fall in love. But as they try to flee Buenos Aires, both are killed by the right-hand man of Rosas. This classic is usually required reading in most Argentine schools, & Mármol’s entire body of work can be found online for free in the public domain.

The tomb is a wonderful interpretation of Art Nouveau, full of curves, vines & depictions of plant life:

José Mármol, Recoleta Cemetery

A plaque on the right was given by a cultural center inspired by Mármol:

José Mármol, Recoleta Cemetery

And an oval image of man being swallowed by a crowned “serpent” appears to be a loose interpretation of the Visconti coat-of-arms… surely because this mausoleum was used by Milanese descendants. But how did José Marmol end up here?

José Mármol, Recoleta Cemetery

Like Art Nouveau? Learn about the architects of the era, their individual styles & what makes Art Nouveau in Buenos Aires so unique with a 33-page guide from our sister site, Endless Mile.

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082. recent restoration ◊

Published by Robert on 4 January 2008

If you notice scaffolding surrounding a tomb or mausoleum in Recoleta Cemetery, don’t worry. It’s not a demolition project.

I plan on donating 10% of map profits to the Asociación Amigos del Cementerio de Recoleta in order to help a good cause. Since 2002, the Friends’ Association has coordinated the restoration of the tombs of historically important figures. Most sculptures & monuments are generally around 100 years old so pollution, climate change, & invasion by plants & microorganisms can do a lot of damage over time. Also, plots are normally purchased for eternity so if a family leaves Argentina, has no descendants, moves their family to another cemetery, or does not pay the monthly maintenance fee, the mausoleum slowly decays over time.

From stop #6 in our PDF guide, three completed restoration projects can be seen. The first is a General José María Pirán whose bust decorates his vault:

José Pirán, Recoleta Cemetery

The large, unfinished column houses the remains of the adopted son of one of Argentina’s most beloved presidents, Domingo Faustino Sarmiento. His son, Dominguito, was buried here after being killed in the war with Paraguay:

Dominguito Sarmiento, Recoleta Cemetery

An obelisk crowned with an angel is popularly known as the Cenotaph of the Three Friends. A cenotaph means that this is just a memorial & no remains are buried here. Evidently these three were such good friends that their loved ones wanted to remember them as a trio. You can see a plaque as well as a symbol of what each man did as you walk around. Alberto Viola was a prolific writer & politician (with books). Adolfo Mitre was son of President Bartolomé Mitre & a poet (hence the lyre). Benigno Lugones was a writer for La Nación newspaper (which is his symbol). Oddly enough all three died within a year of each other:

Cenotaph, 3 friends, Recoleta Cemetery

Cenotaph, 3 friends, Recoleta Cemetery

In the long run, ADACRE never responded to my offer of donating 10% of map profits. Basically I put that cash into maintaining this blog, but it would have been nice to make a contribution.

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