In Rio I hadn´t thought about visiting a cemetery yet, when someone pointed Sao Joao Batista (Portuguese: Baptista with “p”)) or also called Cemiterio Botafogo out to me, while driving by and recommended to go there if I had the time. The next day I went. Opened 1852, 65.000 entombments.
The cemetery location is special: slightly sloping and partially built into the hill, plus the view towards the Cristo statue.
The gravestones are especially rich with (beautiful) figures. Also, the names on top of the tombstones, written diagonal, is something special.
The grave of famous pilot and inventor Santos Dumont is here too, as well as “stars” and ex presidents.
There were several burials in process when I came in, done with little carts. The cemeteries paths are mostly extremely narrow, except for a few wider ones.
Special: There are QR codes on graves! This is what I have been planning to do in Hamburg for years, still in my head though.
The gate carries the name Cemiterio de S. Jao Baptista, which is the Portuguese version, while everywhere else it is called Batista – Brazilian language, slightly different.
Opposite the cemetery was a bar loudly playing Gipsy Kings, which was a bit weird, while strolling through the otherwise very quiet place.
While arriving from behind the Sao Joao hill and Siquiera Campos metro station, this was the view onto the cemetery. I watched carefully, and then even a man shouted to me from the other side of the road, to be careful (with my camera). That´s when I opted not to take the small side entrance in front of me, on R. Real Grandeza, but to walk around to find another (the main) entrance.
These two photos are zoomed in from outside.
This is the main gate, on R. Gra. Polidoro, where I went inside
The main road is a main path, quiet and on that day reconctructed in several places, well taken care of.
Lots and lots of large figures! Lots of Jesuses and Christs everywhere, some angels too.
Fantastic figures! Telling stories. Families.
An unsuccessful coup on 11.5.1938 (Vargas, Salgado)
I am pro photos on gravestones, but haven´t seen that in Germany yet.
Address: R. Real Grandeza, S/N – Botafogo, Rio de Janeiro – RJ, 22281-033, Brasilien
Access: Side Gate on R. Grandeza, main entrance on R. Gal. Polidoro, 07.00-17.00 every day (web info)