The Santiago Cemetery

The Santiago cemetery was the final point of my most recent guided tour in the city. Sounds like a weird place to go to as a tourist but it was actually super interesting.

Firstly, the guide assured us that it was okay to be having a tour there and that snapping pictures was not creepy. Apparently cemeteries in Chile are much more relaxed places than in eg. European countries. This was confirmed by the fact that we were passed by several bikers blasting Latin music out of their portable speakers. I imagined how playing some salsa tunes at a Polish cemetery would work out... It wouldn't fly I'm pretty sure!
In Chile many people come to the cemetery to spend time with their departed relatives, as if they were alive. Apparently there's a grave completely covered in beer bottles that belongs to a man who used to enjoy having a drink with his wife. Now when she comes to visit she brings two bottles, drinks one and leaves the other one on the grave for her husband to enjoy.

Starting from the 1870s Santiago went through several decades fo economic success, during which some families became very affluent. Rich people often like to show off their wealth, and so in Santiago they got into a very weird kind of competition over who had the most pimped out family grave. Architects were contracted to erect buildings resembling Greek and Aztec temples, La Alhambra in Spain, Egyptian pyramids... Muy raro.

Apart from family graves, Santiago cemetery features mausoleums for football teams, shoe makers, policemen, and my firm favorite: the masuoleum for clowns. Complete with a construction resembling a circus tent...