Tours through the History and Art of the Cemeteries of Sitges and Vilanova i la Geltrú

October 2018.- As part of the All Saints’ Day celebrations, Àltima is organizing the traditional guided tours of the cemeteries of Sant Sebastià in Sitges and Vilanova i la Geltrú, which host some of the most significant heritage legacies in our country. These two routes, which are free of charge, will mainly explore the history of each municipality through the stories of the "Indians" who resided there in the past. Also known as "Americanos," the Indians sought to demonstrate their power and wealth to everyone, including through the construction of monumental mausoleums and graves.

These works of art, full of funerary symbolism, belong to renowned architects and sculptors, icons of Catalan Modernism, such as Josep Llimona, Domènech Estapà, Manel Fuxà, and Frederic Marès, and they showcase the experiences that make up a significant part of the history of Sitges and Vilanova i la Geltrú.

Both cemeteries are part of the Association of Significant Cemeteries in Europe (ASCE), which recognizes the valuable historical, cultural, and artistic heritage of these spaces. Additionally, the Sitges cemetery is included in the ASCE European Cemeteries Route, which marks a tourist trail through the main cemeteries in Europe.

Sitges and the "Route of Souls," Saturday, October 27 at 11 am

The old Sitges cemetery, located next to Sant Sebastià beach and inaugurated in 1814, contains a large number of Modernist graves created by architects and sculptors such as Josep Llimona, Frederic Marès, Manuel Fuxà, Agapit Vallmitjana, Alexandre Mariotti, Josep Reynés, Joan Rebull, and Pere Jou. The tour will review this artistic legacy, which includes the mausoleums and graves of some of the town's most illustrious figures.

Vilanova i la Geltrú and "The Artistic Soul of the Cemetery," Sunday, October 28 at 11 am

This guided tour will reveal the history of the capital of Garraf through the art and history of the graves and mausoleums of the Indians buried in the cemetery, which opened in 1855. The tour of the stately graves of some of the most prominent figures in politics, culture, and business interred here will allow visitors to discover true works of art by architects such as Bonaventura Pollés and Domènech Estapà. Examples include the mausoleums of writers Víctor Balaguer and Manuel de Cabanyes, painter Joaquim Mir, and politician and businessman Francesc Gumà.