Caju Cemetery

The São Francisco Xavier Cemetery, popularly known as the Caju Cemetery, is a necropolis in Rio de Janeiro. It is considered one of the largest cemeteries in Brazil, It is located in the neighborhood of Caju in northern Rio de Janeiro.

Originally stood opposite the beach in St. Kitts, missing due to various landfills. He was the former Field of Mercy, Used since 1839, when there was, in July 2, Buried the body of "Victoria, Creole, daughter of Theresa, slave Manoel Rodrigues dos Santos" (Archaic spelling of the time) and being used for burials of slaves until 1851, when the Decree No. 842 of October 16 the same year, public cemeteries were founded St. Francis Xavier and St. John the Baptist. By Decree No. 843 of the same year, were handed over to be administered for a period of 50 years, Santa Casa de Misericordia.

To transform a public cemetery, were purchased several neighboring properties, and thus greatly increased the surface. On November 8, 1851 informing the Superintendent of the Santa Casa, José Clemente PereiraThat the St. Francis Xavier Cemetery was in a state in order to provide services within 15 days of the Regulation No. 796.Com effect on December 5, was buried a "No free African 187, Manguinhos, belonging to the House of Correction, who died in Mercy HospitalOf gastro-entero-colitis". The last body buried in the Campo Santo of Mercy in 1851, was a free African, sent from the House of Correction, burial No. 2218.

It took several embankments and flattening the ground over the years to make the whole area flat and dry, since it is swampy because of the close of the seas to the landfills was chopped a hill that existed in the northern part of the necropolis.

The cemetery is part of the closed high wall of masonry, and the central part of this wall, a monumental iron grating, on granite bedrock, which started and ended by two iron gates as well. By means of this grating is used as the building vestibule of the necropolis, consisting of two buildings with facades of granite that borders the stately portico. This building was originally designed by engineer J. M. Jacinto Rebelo; Was executed but with modifications that gave greater grandeur by architect F. J. Bithencourt da Silva.

In front of this gate follow the main street which measured 22 meters wide, then going to the beach of San Cristobal, in a move straight up to the place called Longing retreat on the other side of Caju. Cutting off this main promenade, there is a cruise monumental granite stonework worthy of admiration, the difficulty of running in as hard material, the artisans have made a sculpture that is so graceful and light.

The cemetery originally provided temporary graves for a period of seven years, and as the desire of families, also sold the graves in perpetuity, which is why there are rich graves and imposing chapels throughout all time.

...
Wikipedia