The Cementerio Santa Ifigenia, Santiago de Cuba is a straggling cemetery, situated in the north west of the heart of the city. This graveyard is one of the most famous tourist attractions in Santiago de Cuba. The graves in the cemetery resembles the size of monuments and it is a vast expanse of area and has been nicknamed as the ‘city of dead’.
There are marble tombs, stone coffins,and many spectacular mausoleums. Some of them dates back to pre- 1868. Some of them have been shifted here from other cemeteries from across the country.
The cemetery houses the graves of the most eminent personalities of Cuba. The most famous among them is off course Jose Marti, the all time greatest revolutionary hero of Cuba. A massive circular structure of stone and marble has been erected over his grave The Lincolnesque mausoleum stands at the entrance of the museum, where a private path ends. The tomb is set beneath a castellated hexagonal tower, each side of which represents one of the six original provinces of Cuba. The circular mausoleum is designed in such a way, so that sun will always shine on his grave. It is draped with the Flag of Cuba. It always reminds the Cubans of Jose Marti who wished to die, “without a homeland but without a master” and to be buried with “a bouquet of flowers and a flag”.The whole atmosphere of the place tends to engulf your mind with a strange serenity.
The grand gateway of the cemetery is dedicated to the Cuban soldiers, who died, while fighting at Angola. There are various other eminent graves, like that of, Tomas Estrada Palma ( Cuba's first President), Emilio Bacardi and other graves from the Bacardi family(the family famous for Rum),Carlos Manuel de Cespedes,Pedro perucho and Figueredo( the author of the Cuban National Anthem).There are also the tombs of the heroes of the 26th July Moncada barracks marked with red and black flags. The heroes of the War of Independence also rest here in their tiny castles..
Every consecutive hour, a ceremony takes place in front of the tomb of Jose Marti, led by energetic and dedicated young men. It is a great opportunity to pay tribute to this great soul.
Very recently the great musician and the native son of Cuba, Copany Segundo has been buried here.
So, while out in your trip and hovering around various spots of sightseeing in Santiago de Cuba, spend a little time with this resting souls. A walk around the cemetery's palm lined paths, in between the tombs of people and families, famous and unknown, will surely give you immense peace of mind and will make your Cuba Tour a pleasant one.
For more information on Cementerio Santa Ifigenia, Santiago de Cuba visit travel.mapsofworld
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