Buenos Aires - Recoleta

It rains in Buenos Aires. Not always but when it does it can be heavy. On such a grey day it seemed appropriate that a visit to a cemetery was planned. No ordinary cemetery though. This is the resting place at Recoleta. I had read about this place before leaving for Argentina. It was where the body of Eva Peron was interned. It is probably fair to say that among the skillful footballers, notorious presidents and celebrated writers, Eva Person is the most famous Argentinian in history. Yet her light shone only briefly. She was the second wife of Juan Peron, helping lead a popular uprising to secure his release from prison and subsequent elections as president. She died soon after at the age of 32.

Family Duarte tomb

Her infamy and myth was no doubt enhanced by the Lloyd-Webber/Rice musical Evita, later developed into a film starring Madonna and Antonio Banderas.

I don't propose to go through her life and times in this blog. More scholarly writers than me have written elegantly on the subject.

Given her fame, I expected to find the tomb quite easily. I imagined tour groups making a bee-line to that area of the cemetery, which in total must cover about two football fields.

That was not the case. Eva Peron was buried in her family tomb of the Duarte's. It is tucked away from the main thoroughfares of the cemetery. Once found though you will find it adorned by flowers left by her admirers and , probably judging by their ages, people who are familiar with her celebrity.

A former president of the jockey club

The grandest tombs belong to other dignitaries form the history of Argentina, especially those active at the turn of the 20th century.

Former presidents of the Jockey Club appear to have the most significant resting places. Clearly horse racing in the early 1900s carried a prestige it does not enjoy these days.

At the entrance to the the cemetery is helpful plan which assists the visitor with their navigation of the important resting places. 

Admiral Brown Memorial

In a fairly central is the green tower tomb of British/Irish sailor William Brown. Brown was born in what is now the Republic of Ireland, then under British rule. 

His family moved to the United States and it was here he entered the employ of the US Navy. Years later he was press-ganged into joined the Royal Navy. The taking of US sailors by the British led to war between the two counties in 1812.

Free of his navy commitments, Brown moved to Montevideo and set himself up as a merchant. However his and other maritime industries were under continual threat from Spanish raiders. Argentina vowed to protect her interest and with his naval background, Brown became head of the navy and is looked upon as father of the Argentine navy, adopting the Spanish for William, Guilermo. Brown had success against the Spanish and against a later British/French blockade. He is celebrated today throughout Argentina streets, football teams and monuments take his name. A number of Argentinian warships have been named after him. When Argentina meet Ireland in rugby union they compete for the William Brown trophy.

The story of Brown is just one of many that can be told from their final resting place, the Recoleta cemetery.
Recoleta Cemetery - Cemeterio de Recoleta