>THE NATION>Places Magazine
- November 1, 2024
- 03:00
- 8 minutes of reading‘
Every November 2, on the Day of the Deadthe myths and legends that surround the Recoleta cemetery They are renewed to turn this iconic place into a space of introspection and tribute. Although the names of Eva Peron, Domingo Faustino Sarmiento y Juan Bautista Alberdi Among its illustrious inhabitants, Recoleta houses a B side, which hides not so popular, but equally fascinating stories. Inaugurated in 1822 and located in the heart of the Buenos Aires neighborhood, this cemetery is one of the oldest and most visited in the country, and combines in its architecture and in its corners murmurs that defy oblivion.
View of the Recoleta cemeteryAlfredo Sánchez / LA NACION – Archive
A tour that invites visitors to learn about stories that do not always come to lightbut that make Recoleta a unique place, where mysteries are intertwined in a continuum of obituaries. As the researcher points out Hernan Vizzarispecialist in cemeteries and declared Outstanding Personality of Culture in 2017walking through its corridors is also exploring the history of Argentina, through anecdotes full of symbolism and renowned characters. Vizzariwho documents his research on his Instagram account, @hernanvizzarioktakes us on a tour with a deep vision of these myths and their influence on Buenos Aires culture.
One of the most fascinating mysteries of the Recoleta cemetery is that of Juan Facundo Quiroganicknamed the “Plains Tiger”. After his murder in Barranca Yaco in 1835Quiroga’s remains were transferred from Córdoba to Buenos Aires, passing through churches and crypts, until, finally, he was buried in the Recoleta necropolis under the vigil of “The Sorrowful”a marble sculpture sculpted by Antonio Tantardini that seems to keep an unbreakable secret. According to account Vizzarilegend has it that Quiroga was buried standing up, an unusual arrangement that, for many, symbolizes his indomitable spirit and the idea that he will face God’s judgment standing.
The Dolorosa, sculpture by Antonio Tantardini.Courtesy Hernán Vizzari
In 2004, a team of researchers, including urban archaeologist Daniel Schavelzondiscovered Quiroga’s coffin effectively upright behind a wall in the Demarchi family vault. However, they argued that the reason was not so much Quiroga’s eccentricity as a strategic decision by his son-in-law, Antonio Demarchiwho in 1877 decided to hide his body to protect it from possible desecration in times of strong political tensions. Using a georadar, the researchers detected a cavity in the wall of the vault, and after making a small hole, they found the greenish bronze coffin next to two iron crosses and an inscription that said “Quiroga… died in February”. Since then, the myth that the leader is resting has spread like wildfire among his followers.
“The curious thing,” he says Vizzari– is that the remains appear to be located in a vertical position. This detail has led many to believe that, indeed, the Plains Tiger rests upright.” This legend, which refuses to be denied, accounts for the strong influence of Quiroga in Argentine history and its representation in the collective imagination.
The history of the Dark Knights It is one of the darkest episodes in the history of the cemetery. We are talking about the kidnapping of the remains of Doña Inés Indart de Dorregowife of Luis Dorrego and mother of Felisa Dorrego de Miró. According to the files and documentation consulted by Vizzariin 1881 the “Knights of the Night” – a gang of Buenos Aires extortionists – stole Doña Inés’ coffin from the family vault and sent a letter to her daughter demanding a million-dollar ransom in exchange for the return of the remains.
The mausoleum of the Dorrego family in the Recoleta cemeteryArchive
The threats were clear and crude, but the family decided to confront the criminals by reporting the incident to the police. From that moment, an intricate investigation began that involved persecutions and intelligence and surveillance strategies that finally found the whereabouts of the body and the identity of those responsible. By following the bearer of the box with the supposed loot, they managed to arrest those involved, including Antonio Perryone of the key members.
Felisa Dorrego ForceArchive
However, despite public consternation, the legal loophole allowed the Dark Knights remained practically unpunished, since the Argentine justice system did not then have a legal figure to punish the theft of corpses. This not only led to widespread outrage, but also caused social pressure that led to the inclusion of the article 171 in the Penal Codepunishing the theft of human remains for extortion purposes, according to investigation Vizzari. For the curious and mystery fans, this case is an example of how a macabre and true story can provoke changes in justice and remain, almost a century and a half later, in the memory of the city.
Among the graves that attract the most attention is that of the politician Salvador María del Carril and his wife, Tiburcia Dominguez. As reported Vizzarithis mausoleum is famous for the peculiar way in which the spouses are represented: Del Carril appears seated on a marble throne, while the bust of Tiburcia is positioned with his back to him, in what appears to be a symbolic act of post-war resentment. mortem
Mausoleum of Salvador María Del Carril and his wife in the Recoleta Cemetery. Buenos Aires, 07/27/23.Noelia Marcia Guevara/AFV
The story behind this arrangement is a reflection of the marital tensions they experienced in life. Del Carril, a man of firm convictions, even published a letter in the newspapers in which he warned his wife’s creditors that he would not take care of her debts, which Tiburcia considered a public affront. As revenge, she left instructions for her bust to face in the opposite direction from her husband’s. “This monument, designed by Camilo Romairone“, is tangible proof of a conflictive relationship and, at the same time, an example of Tiburcia’s resistance in the face of public humiliation,” he comments. Vizzari.
Mausoleum of Salvador María Del Carril and his wife in the Recoleta Cemetery. Buenos Aires, 07/27/23.Noelia Marcia Guevara/AFV
The Del Carril tomb is not only relevant for this marital dispute frozen in marble, but also for its symbology. Above the mausoleum stands an imposing sculpture of Cronus, the God of Timea choice that, according to Vizzari“it is not a coincidence.” In mythology, Cronus represents the passage of time and death, but is also linked to stories of abuse and oppression. This choice could be interpreted as a metaphor for the couple’s stormy relationship, in which time and death are the final judges of their disagreements.
The Redeemer He is an “old Jesus Christ”, which is curious, since it is known that Jesus died at the age of 33. The sculpture, with long hair that could be gray and a beard that denotes advanced age, seems to symbolize eternity and the moral duality that time brings with it, he reflects. Vizzari. In the New Testament, elders represent wisdom and experience, values that the Hebrew people also linked to their figure.
This work, located in the center of what was the old North Cemetery and created by the acclaimed impressionist sculptor Pedro Zonza Brianoknown as the “Argentine Rodin”has an aura of mystery that makes it one of the most captivating points of Recoleta.
The site where El Redentor is located. Hernan Zenteno – LA NACION
However, the most enigmatic thing occurs during the nights of the full moon, when the light filters in a particular way between the trees and walls, generating the illusion that the figure of the Redeemer lights up and “comes to life” in the stillness of the necropolis. . Zonza Brianoadmirer of Rodin and of Aristide Maillolleft a legacy that is still preserved in the museums of Buenos Aires, but few works achieve the magnetism that “The Redeemer” radiates in those silent nights, when he seems to watch over the dead and attract the living in search of answers.
“This cemetery tells us about life as well as death, about the passions and ideals that marked Argentina”resume Vizzari. Through their stories, these mausoleums manage to keep alive the memories of those who were once protagonists of the country’s history and who today rest in a territory where the past intersects with the present, reminding us that the Recoleta cemetery is more than a place of eternal rest; It is a mirror of the contradictions, greatness and struggles of Argentine society.
Mausoleum of Facundo Quiroga, Salvador María del Carril and Tiburcia Dominguez de Carril Vault in the Recoleta Cemetery.Noelia Marcia Guevara/AFVAccording to the criteria of
