Activity: Free Guided Tours of Two of the Most Important Cemeteries in Garraf, Sant Sebastià (Sitges) and Vilanova i la Geltrú, Where the History of the Indian or American Immigrants Will Be Explored Through Their Graves—True Works of Catalan Modernist Art; and the Viladecans Cemetery in Baix Llobregat, Where the Most Representative Figures from the Municipality’s History Will Be Discovered, Covering 150 Years of This Site.
Organized by: Àltima
Dates and Times:
- Sunday, October 24, 11:00 AM: “Route of the Souls” Tour of Sant Sebastià Cemetery in Sitges.
- Saturdays, October 23 and 30, 11:00 AM: “The Artistic Soul of the Cemetery” Tour of Vilanova i la Geltrú Cemetery.
- Sunday, November 7, 11:00 AM to 12:30 PM: “The Soul of Viladecans” Tour of Viladecans Cemetery.
Meeting Point: Main entrance of the cemeteries.
Addresses:
- Sant Sebastià Municipal Cemetery, Sitges: Av. Balmins s/n, Sitges (Barcelona)
- Vilanova i la Geltrú Municipal Cemetery: Ctra. de Vilafranca s/n, Vilanova i la Geltrú (Barcelona)
- Viladecans Municipal Cemetery:** Passeig del cementiri s/n, Viladecans (Barcelona)
Price and Availability: All three tours are free. Advance registration is required:
- “Route of the Souls” (Sitges): 619 793 199 (Agisitges)
- “The Artistic Soul of the Cemetery” (Vilanova i la Geltrú): 669 288 220 (ARC)
- “The Soul of Viladecans” (Viladecans): 93 635 29 60 or arxiumunicipal@viladecans.cat (Municipal Archive)
Places are limited, and registrations will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.
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October 18, 2021 - Guided tours of cemeteries return for All Saints' Day. In the Garraf and Baix Llobregat regions (Barcelona), Àltima is organizing three different guided routes for this celebration across the cemeteries of Sant Sebastià in Sitges, Vilanova i la Geltrú, and Viladecans. These sites, which feature intriguing heritage legacies, some with significant artistic and cultural value, will offer tours through the history of over 150 years of each municipality by exploring the notable figures who lived there and the funerary legacies they hold.
On one hand, the tours in Garraf (Barcelona) offer insight into the era of the Indian or American immigrants through monumental graves, mainly pantheons and tombs, full of funerary symbolism, created by prestigious architects and sculptors who are icons of Catalan Modernism, such as Josep Llimona, Domènech Estapà, Manel Fuxà, and Frederic Marès. These are true works of art that showcase a significant part of the history of Sitges and Vilanova i la Geltrú. On the other hand, the tour of Viladecans reveals the evolution of this city in Baix Llobregat (Barcelona) through its most significant figures, who have shaped the history of the past 150 years and left a lasting legacy.
The cemeteries of Sant Sebastià in Sitges and Vilanova i la Geltrú are part of ASCE, the European Association of Significant Cemeteries, which recognizes the important historical, cultural, and artistic heritage of these spaces. Additionally, Sant Sebastià Cemetery is part of the European Cemetery Route, which highlights a tour through major European funerary sites.
Sitges and “Route of the Souls,” Sunday, October 24 at 11:00 AM
Inaugurated in 1814, Sant Sebastià Cemetery in Sitges is located beside the beach of the same name, a privileged spot on the Garraf coast, near the local church. Behind the archway leading into this Mediterranean-style cemetery, visitors find themselves immersed in some of the most important modernist graves, all within close proximity. These works are by architects and sculptors such as Josep Llimona, Frederic Marès, Manuel Fuxà, Agapit Vallmitjana, Alexandre Mariotti, Josep Reynés, Joan Rebull, and Pere Jou. The route explores this artistic legacy, visiting the pantheons and tombs of some of the most illustrious figures of the town.
Vilanova i la Geltrú and “The Artistic Soul of the Cemetery,” Saturdays, October 23 and 30 at 11:00 AM
Two available days for this tour, which explores the history of the Garraf capital through the funerary heritage of this cemetery, which opened in 1855. The visit to the monumental tombs and pantheons of some of the most relevant personalities in politics, culture, and business buried here will reveal works of art by architects such as Bonaventura Pollés and Domènech Estapà. The graves of writers Víctor Balaguer and Manuel de Cabanyes, painter Joaquim Mir, and politician and businessman Francesc Gumà are among the examples.
Viladecans and “The Soul of Viladecans,” Sunday, November 7 at 11:00 AM
Since its inauguration in 1868, Viladecans Cemetery has accompanied the history of the municipality up to the present day. The guided tour on November 7 will explain the origins of this site, why it was built, and which significant individuals are buried here: mayors, politicians, landowners, priests, businessmen, football players, or doctors, as well as victims of the bombings during the Spanish Civil War in 1938.