Several of these signs with a late 80s/early 90s look are placed on the exterior brick wall at regular intervals:
“Here rest those who came before us in the journey of life. It is a place of respect that should be respected. Do not post bills or write inscriptions.”
It’s all about respect.
Leave a CommentThe three Terrabusi brothers arrived in Buenos Aires from Italy at the end of the 19th century & by 1911 had become entrepreneurs. Their cracker business was so successful that it eventually became one of the leading food companies in Argentina. The original logo depicts a woman walking with an umbrella in one hand & a tin of Terrabusi crackers in the other. Supposedly Ambrosio Terrabusi was sitting in a café one day, saw this girl & invented the logo/company slogan, “Not even the rain stops people from buying Terrabusi crackers.” Thanks to a former blog titled soncosasmias for the story & image below:
Most Argentines over 20-years old identify with the company because of their famous Manón crackers… a staple in every kid’s lunch box:
However, the company did not survive the wave of privatization in the 1990s. Carlos Reyes-Terrabusi sold the company in 1994 to Nabisco which in turn sold it to Kraft. Today, Kraft headquarters in Argentina now occupies what was once the Terrabusi main office. The sale price was a few million dollars, so Carlos now leads a luxurious life dedicated to polo. His team, La Picaza, won the 2007 Argentine Republic Cup. That’s him on the left:
It makes sense that one day he’ll end up in Recoleta Cemetery. The family has a modest, black granite vault from the exterior, but the interior holds a surprise… one of the most beautiful & sensual stained glass panels I’ve seen. Ever. Restoration work is currently being done, so I was able to get a shot with the door removed:
The name of Christ in Greek is Christos (Χριστός) & the first two letters form a common Christian symbol. It’s everywhere in Recoleta Cemetery & is even incorporated into the entrance gate design… the XP hidden among decorative ivy.
Although not common, a few mausoleums are taped shut with a very official looking white sticker which boldly states, “faja de clausura.”
Structures built in Recoleta Cemetery are considered private property which means the city government has little recourse if a family stops paying the monthly maintenance fee. But the fact that tombs are private property has an interesting twist. If a family comes on difficult financial times, the Policía Federal can seize mausoleums for payment of unresolved debt or in cases of bankruptcy. That’s why the police logo appears on the white strip:
Buying a mausoleum at auction may seem like an odd thing to do, but it’s probably the easiest way to get into Recoleta Cemetery. The saddest example of this I’ve seen lately is the mega-mausoleum for the Lacroze family… trolley founders & previous owners of the subway’s B Line. Hopefully the family or the national government will be able to maintain an important part of Buenos Aires history.
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