Last Updated on June 12, 2022
It may seem a bit macabre to stroll around a cemetery in a Chilean port city, but hear me out: To understand the essence of Valparaiso in minutes, you must spend time among the dissidents.
The only problem is, the dissidents are dead. But not to worry – their tombstones reveal their adventurous lives and often dramatic deaths.
Once the most important port cities in the world, daring British and European immigrants flooded here during the 19th century and rather than assimilate into Chilean culture, they left a very distinct mark of their own on this once global city. The influence can be seen throughout Valparaiso, but nowhere is this more fascinating than in the Cementerio de Disidentes.
The cemetery of the dissidents was named this way for all the non-Catholic immigrants buried here. In English, German, Spanish and a myriad of other languages, the matter-of-fact gravestones mince no words telling the story of how the immigrants met their fate.
The dissident cemetery is sandwiched in between cemetery one and cemetery two. This row of three cemeteries afford the absolute best views of the city to all who hike the hefty climb up Ecuador Street – from the massive port that once beckoned sailors and adventurers to call Valparaiso home to the sweeping vistas of the over 40 colorful hills that make it so unique.
Join us for a walk around the most international cemetery we have ever visited:
One born in England, the other in New York, both called Valparaiso home when they died…
Merchant sailors lived hard lives and died young, like this adventurer here…
Here lies Carl, Oscar, Marie and Eduardo…Germans by birth, Valparaisians at heart…
‘Ruhe Sanft’, the German equivalent to Rest in Peace…
The large Chinese population settled here in waves, as well…
Spending time here, we found that, as nomads, we identified with so many of these expatriates and their adventures. Knowing how many of us there are nowadays exploring the world, it makes us wonder if more and more cemeteries will look like this in the future?
Tim Strang
Friday 7th of February 2020
Hi - this is very interesting. My sister has been researching our family history, and quite by chance came across our great grandfathers headstone in this cementery. We knew he died in La Pz, and so had assumed he would be buried there. But by pure chance, she was walking around this cemetery and came across his grave! I hesitate to try to calculate the chances of this happening!!
TammyOnTheMove
Monday 4th of March 2013
What I find interesting is that the English inscriptions are really detailed, naming professions, where they are from and describing how they died and the German inscriptions are really to the point. Even dead Germans are more efficient. ;-)
Dani
Thursday 7th of March 2013
That's true, I didn't even notice that! I guess Germans are also more private about that kind of stuff :D
Pauline
Monday 4th of March 2013
I'm noticing a trend here - it seems like you often make time to visit the cemetery when you're in a new city. You guys like the cemetery, huh? :p and I love your observation at the end of this post - that we may be buried far from where we started or where we were born.
Dani
Monday 4th of March 2013
Thanks, Pauline! You are absolutely right - we love to visit cemeteries around the world... and we'll actually visit another one here in Chile today :D
Anita Mac
Monday 4th of March 2013
Quite a fascinating walk through time! I missed the cemetery while in Valparaiso - would not have thought to even go in. Perhaps, in the future, I will. The lives and stories of some of these people make it an interesting glimpse into history. My great grandfather was a stone mason. When we went on a family trip to his home town my great aunt took us through the cemetery - while not nearly as old as this one in Spain, it was interesting to hear all the stories and to see my great grandfathers work.
Dani
Monday 4th of March 2013
Anita - we are big fans of cemeteries, I hope that doesn't sound creepy, but we just love to see the different styles of graves and mausoleums around the world, and how people deal with death (love the way most Latin American countries 'celebrate' it in a very colorful way, for example).
Charli l Wanderlusters
Monday 4th of March 2013
What a beautiful place. I always find cemeteries incredibly emotive but to be able to see a glimpse of the life of those who have passed must have been especially moving.
I imagine you could spend hours wandering round and imagining the lives of those buried beneath.
Great post girls thanks for giving us a peak into such a unusual place.
Dani
Monday 4th of March 2013
Thanks, Charli! It was especially moving to see all these Germans and other Europeans who made their way to Chile over 150 years ago in search of a better life, far away from their families. It made me spin so many stories in my head about what it must have been like for them.