Creatively designed tombs in the cemetery

---

On the Chimba side of the river is the cemetery for Chilean residents (non-Catholic.) The cemeteries here are not like the ones found in Europe, here people build elaborately and creatively designed tombs depending upon the person’s status. There were 3 types of graves. A nicho is the cheapest and is a tiny whole in a wall. People save up a lot of money to buy the best places in the cemetery as they really believe in keeping the spirits of the dead alive. If you are too poor to buy a niche, you can rent it and as you pay per niche, if you want a cheaper niche, your remains can be shared with up to 10 other people’s remains. If you can no longer pay for your niche the authorities remove your remains from the niche and bury them in a hole in the ground, and then give the niche to someone who can pay. The bigger your tomb, the wealthier you were and the higher status you had in life.

The Mausoleum included people who were buried according to profession, nationality or family name. For example, all people who served as firemen in their life would then be buried with other ex fireman in a tomb designed in a shape for fireman. Many Italian people designed beautiful tombs and many rich families created enormous ones with elaborate designs. People can also be buried according to family names and this was very typical of the aristocracy. These elaborately designed tombs make for a very interesting walk around cemeteries in Chile.

The one drawback to building a big, fancy tomb is that if there is an earthquake and your tomb falls down (I saw a few of these destroyed in the 2010 earthquake) the family of the person buried in the tomb is financially responsible for the upkeep of the tomb as it is considered to be their own private property. As a result, if it is destroyed the authorities are not responsible. Once you buy a tomb or niche it is considered to be your private property and you can do anything to it you wish.

---