Skip to content

Category: Military

150. military burials

The burial of upper-ranking military officials can be quite a show. Generals get the full treatment as Granaderos trumpet a funeral march & raise their swords:

Military burial, Recoleta Cemetery

One of the officers buried ended up here, complete with his sword, hat & an Argentine flag. I always have mixed feelings about services like these. On one hand, it’s a wonderful show & hard not to stop & stare. On the other, a family is looking for closure during a difficult time. Dozens of tourists snapping photos of a weeping widow can’t be a good thing. Then again, the military committed horrible human rights violations during the last dictatorship that they still haven’t paid for. It’s a hard call.

Thanks to Mike & Stephanie for the above photo. I didn’t have my camera that day, & we had just finished a cemetery tour when we ran into this.

Leave a Comment

147. padres del libertador & remedios de escalada ◊

Padres del Libertador & Remedios de Escalada, Recoleta Cemetery

Everyone should know who “The Liberator” refers to: José de San Martín. He’s without doubt the most important Argentine who ever lived as well as a key player in world history. San Martín should be buried here alongside his parents (with the flag) & his wife, Remedios de Escalada (small tomb on right). But he’s too important even for Recoleta Cemetery… more on him in a bit.

A small plaque hidden in the bushes states that the parents’ remains were moved to Yapeyú in Corrientes province in February 1998. Their home was there, & it was the birthplace of San Martín. Another plaque explains that flag—a copy of the one San Martín carried during battle—was made by one of the Damas Patricias Argentinas, descendants of Argentine founding fathers:

Padres del Libertador, Recoleta Cemetery

Padres del Libertador, Recoleta Cemetery

Responsible for leading the armies that eliminated Spanish control in Argentine territory, San Martín crossed the Andes Mountains on horseback with his troops & freed Chile from the Spanish. Not stopping there, he continued north to Perú. San Martín’s leadership & military skill gave three nations their independence. By the time fighting in South America was over in 1824, Remedios de Escalada had passed away from yellow fever. Their daughter, Mercedes, was cared for by her grandparents while San Martín was on the other side of the continent.

Instead of resting on his laurels or taking charge, San Martín returned to Buenos Aires & immediately left with his daughter to Europe. Before setting sail, he bought a simple tombstone & laid Remedios de Escalada to rest in Recoleta Cemetery… at that time only open for under two years. Her portrait decorates the adjoining wall:

Remedios de Escalada, Recoleta Cemetery

Remedios de Escalada, Recoleta Cemetery

Argentines thought San Martín had abandoned them, & many European nations refused to allow San Martín to enter… after all, he was a revolutionary. Living in London, Brussels, & eventually settling in Paris, San Martín kept informed of events in South America but vowed never to use his sword again. He insisted that his fight was against the Spanish, & internal conflicts were a big mistake between newly independent nations.

A number of Argentine leaders visited him often in Europe, & he attempted one voyage back to Argentina. But due to the conflict between Buenos Aires & the rest of the nation, San Martín disembarked in Uruguay instead. He would never return to Argentina, dying in Boulogne-sur-Mer, France in 1850.

History almost forgot about San Martín because of his absence. But the opponents of Rosas (namely Sarmiento & Mitre) made sure that the contributions of San Martín were remembered. His remains were finally repatriated to Argentina in 1877. San Martín’s final resting place is inside the cathedral on Plaza de Mayo, protected by two guards of a regiment he created, the Granaderos:

José de San Martín, Recoleta Cemetery

3 Comments

116. name missing

Door, name missing, Recoleta Cemetery

Notoriously difficult to photograph due to its location, this unnamed vault possesses one of the best doors in Recoleta Cemetery… definitely on par with that of David Spinetto. Perhaps not visible given the angle of this picture, the door is actually curved. Amazing.

Update (06 Mar 2009): Last year this vault was purchased & refurbished by the family of Brigadier Juan José Nogueira, who served in the Argentine Air Force. The polished door looks spectacular, & an equally shiny plaque commemorates his participation in the Falkland Island War. It also states that Nogueira passed away on the feast day of the Virgin of Loreto… oddly enough she is the patron saint of aviation in Argentina:

Brigadier Juan José Nogueira, Recoleta Cemetery

Brigadier Juan José Nogueira, Recoleta Cemetery

Leave a Comment

112. comodoro luis py

Comodoro Luis Py, Recoleta Cemetery

An important naval officer during the formative years of Argentine history, Luis Py was born in Barcelona in 1819. He joined the Argentine Navy at the age of 24 & served under Admiral Guillermo Brown while defending Montevideo from the British-French blockade. During the difficult times of the Confederación Argentina (basically BsAs vs. the rest of the nation in the 1850s), Py earned the rank of Captain for his defense of Buenos Aires.

The most difficult moment for Py was during the 1860s war with Paraguay when the vessel he commanded was heavily damaged & his son—also enlisted in the Navy & on board—was killed. Py continued to rise in the ranks & was sent by President Sarmiento to defend Argentina’s claim to Patagonia.

At the same time Roca began the Desert Conquest campaign, Py took a small fleet to Santa Cruz discovering an easily overtaken Chilean outpost. Remaining there for several months, Py’s presence effectively warned Chile to stay away. Returning to Buenos Aires, he was promoted to Commodore at the age of 60 & passed away 5 years later in 1884. Py should have received a special mention for his handlebar moustache:

Comodoro Luis Py, Recoleta Cemetery

The large number of naval symbols leaves no doubt as to his calling in life:

Comodoro Luis Py, Recoleta Cemetery

And an eye-level plaque reminds us that this vault was sponsored by friends & fellow naval personnel:

Comodoro Luis Py, Recoleta Cemetery

2 Comments

089. sepulcro obligado y familia

Pastor Obligado, Recoleta Cemtery

A small gallery of niches holds the remains of Pastor Obligado, a key player in national politics after gaining independence from Spain. Born in 1818 in Buenos Aires, Obligado studied law & received his degree in 1845. Juan Manuel de Rosas ruled the new nation with an iron fist at that time, & Obligado was a firm supporter due to his upper-class background. But as time passed, he made allies with the anti-Rosas faction but continued to defend the rights of Buenos Aires above that of the nation. Obligado associated with fellow cemetery residents Adolfo Alsina, Valentín Alsina, José Mármol, & Carlos Tejedor. He also made friends with future presidents Bartolomé Mitre & Domingo Sarmiento.

All the above alliances paid off for Obligado in 1853 when Rosas was forced into exile. Obligado became the Governor of Buenos Aires & maintained the province’s separation from the Confederación Argentina. In 1857, he presided of the inauguration of the first train line in the city of Buenos Aires & made major improvements in providing basic utilities such as water & gas.

Remaining active in national events after his term as Governor ended in 1858, he later served in Congress as well as in the military. Obligado died in Córdoba while on vacation in 1870. He forms part of a long list of historical figures that were very important in their day but unfortunately have faded away from public memory.

Leave a Comment