The Recoleta Cemetery is located in one of the most respectable areas of Buenos Aires. In addition, it is a landmark of the capital of Argentina and is a cemetery of world historical value. And since 1946, Recoleta has the status of a national open-air museum, 70 crypts have been declared national monuments. But besides the high ranks of the people buried here, the cemetery is famous for sad stories of deaths.
The entrance to the cemetery is now free. Although some time ago one of the enterprising residents of the city's firs tried to organize the sale of entrance tickets here. It is worth taking a walk through the cemetery at least because of its architectural significance. Almost all the presidents of Argentina, the country's most significant figures of art and culture, politicians, scientists, athletes and other local celebrities are buried here. Among them is the first lady of Argentina Eva Duarte, the spiritual leader of the nation, who died at 33. And, despite her illegitimate (extramarital) origin, she was buried in the family crypt of her father's relatives, a small cattle breeder.
Among the many local legends about those who were buried in Recoleta, the most famous one is about Rufina Cambasares. A 19-year-old girl was found dead in her own room on her birthday. The body was examined by three doctors at once, who in one voice established the death of the unfortunate. True, they could not establish the cause of what happened then. However, after a while one of the relatives decided to visit the girl's grave and noticed that the coffin was slightly shifted to the side. When it was opened, they found many scratches on the inside of the coffin lid and on the girl's face. It became clear that Rufina was buried alive, and she tried to get out.
After that, gossip spread throughout the city that her own mother was allegedly in love with her daughter's admirer. On that day, she simply tried to put her daughter to sleep for a while in order to meet a young man. However, apparently, she went too far with the dosage, as a result of which Rufina fell into a coma. And, since the doctors of that time could not distinguish between coma and death, the girl was buried while still alive. After a while, the unfortunate woman woke up and tried to get out of the coffin. The pantheon of her tomb is decorated with a statue of Rufina trying to open the door. It should be noted that her mother did give birth to a child from her lover - this is a historical fact.
Another story tells of a cemetery attendant who dreamed of building his own crypt here. But since only wealthy residents of the city could afford this pleasure, the minister had only to raise funds for his dream during the long years of his life. For this purpose, he denied himself normal food, clothing, and even his own home. The minister did not marry either. When the eccentric managed to collect the necessary sum of money, he committed suicide. The vault of the cemetery attendant is decorated with his statue with tools for work.
There is a crypt where the bodies of a high-ranking official and his wife are kept. The official was the vice-president of General Urkis, and his wife was a lover of spending her husband's money. With her excessive revelry and purchases, she drove her husband into debt. And he did not want to pay for them.
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For this, the wife took offense at her husband and stopped talking to him. For as much as 20 years of their married life. But it is interesting that the monument on which the figures of the husband and wife are placed with their backs to each other testifies to this tacit life together.
