Cementerio de los Ilustres
Since 1849, the Cemetery of the illustrious has been an important part of San Salvador’s history. Within its premises there are over 400 tombs, the resting place to some of El Salvador’s most prominent families and famous personalities.
The cemetery is of great historical and artistic value and could be considered as an “open air museum” due to the quality and materials of the mausoleums, most of them with carved marble statues brought from Europe or made locally by masterful artisans.
According to historical records, under the administration of President Rafael Zaldivar (1876 – 1884), the cemetery became known as the “The Illustrious” after a second, and more impressive mausoleum was erected in honor of Francisco Morazán, a famous president and general who fought for the ideal of uniting the Central American countries into a single Federation.
This place was also called “The Pantheon of Great Men” by a legislative decree in 1913, after the funeral of President Manuel Enrique Araujo.
Located in what was once an exclusive area of the capital, the Cemetery of the Illustrious has the remains of former presidents like: Gerardo Barrios, Manuel Enrique Araujo, Isidro Menéndez and Francisco Morazan.
Many distinguished artists and writers are also buried here; among them: Salarrué , Arturo Ambrogi, Claudia Lars and Alfredo Espino; the famous Paraguayan musician Agustin Barrios Mangoré also rests in “The Illustrious”.
Iconic contemporary political figures buried in this cemetery include revolutionary leader Farabundo Martí; the founder of the Nationalist Republican Alliance in El Salvador (ARENA), Roberto d’Aubuisson; the leader of the Frente Farabundo Marti para la Liberacion Nacional (FMLN), Shafik Handal .
This cemetery is open to the public and walking along its trails you will get to appreciate the beauty of the white marble sculptures with great artistic value and mausoleums that keep the remains of wealthy families. It is said that many of the works were ordered from abroad, particularly from Genoa in Italy.
In this cemetery there are a variety of religious figures in different poses, some of them of large proportions and with unusual characteristics that indicate the status of the family or the deceased’s living history. Many of them have become part of the landscape and popular memory.
The cemetery also harbors mythical figures, among them “Luperce” better known as “The Wolf”, suckling Romulus and Remus. This mausoleum is for the Italian Assitenza.
You will also find “The Bride”, a sculpture in honor of the Lydia S. Glass Lopez (deceased in 1924). There are stories about her apparitions at the site and conflicting versions of her death, one of them is that she died just as she was about to get married and other versions say it happened afterwards.
Other interesting tombs are “The Plane”, resting place of Italian pilot Enrico Massi, who died in 1923 and “The Bike” the actual bike where J. Francisco Sandoval died in 1948.
Other graves of historical figures buried in this cemetery:
• Pío Romero Bosque
• Benjamin Bloom
• Alberto Masferrer
• José Rosales (founder of the public hospital of the same name)
It was not until 2009 that the Municipality of San Salvador issued an order declaring this cemetery as a “Protected Zone” and it is now guarded by Metropolitan Police Agents (CAM). In addition, the Jewish community cemetery is just across the street. La Bermeja Cemetery is the resting place for more popular sectors of the population.
These days, the Tourist Police, POLITUR, provides a monthly night tour, which is of particular interest as it is guided by leading Salvadoran historians. Simply request this service one week in advance.
How to get there:
Address: 7th Avenue and 12th WestStreet.
You can enter the Cemetery of the Illustrious through the gates next to the Central Market. You may park your car within the premises at no cost.
More:
- To request a tour, contact POLITUR (503) 2511-8300 or (503) 2511-8302 Monday to Friday (business hours) 8:00 am to 5:00 p.m.
This service is FREE.
NOTE: If you require escort service, please specify if you will provide accommodation for the POLITUR agents. Otherwise, the officers will take their camping gear and provide security without any problems.
- POLITUR agents are fully equipped to travel on all weather con
Since 1849, the Cemetery of the illustrious has been an important part of San Salvador’s history. Within its premises there are over 400 tombs, the resting place to some of El Salvador’s most prominent families and famous personalities.
The cemetery is of great historical and artistic value and could be considered as an “open air museum” due to the quality and materials of the mausoleums, most of them with carved marble statues brought from Europe or made locally by masterful artisans.
According to historical records, under the administration of President Rafael Zaldivar (1876 – 1884), the cemetery became known as the “The Illustrious” after a second, and more impressive mausoleum was erected in honor of Francisco Morazán, a famous president and general who fought for the ideal of uniting the Central American countries into a single Federation.
This place was also called “The Pantheon of Great Men” by a legislative decree in 1913, after the funeral of President Manuel Enrique Araujo.
Located in what was once an exclusive area of the capital, the Cemetery of the Illustrious has the remains of former presidents like: Gerardo Barrios, Manuel Enrique Araujo, Isidro Menéndez and Francisco Morazan.
Many distinguished artists and writers are also buried here; among them: Salarrué , Arturo Ambrogi, Claudia Lars and Alfredo Espino; the famous Paraguayan musician Agustin Barrios Mangoré also rests in “The Illustrious”.
Iconic contemporary political figures buried in this cemetery include revolutionary leader Farabundo Martí; the founder of the Nationalist Republican Alliance in El Salvador (ARENA), Roberto d’Aubuisson; the leader of the Frente Farabundo Marti para la Liberacion Nacional (FMLN), Shafik Handal .
This cemetery is open to the public and walking along its trails you will get to appreciate the beauty of the white marble sculptures with great artistic value and mausoleums that keep the remains of wealthy families. It is said that many of the works were ordered from abroad, particularly from Genoa in Italy.
In this cemetery there are a variety of religious figures in different poses, some of them of large proportions and with unusual characteristics that indicate the status of the family or the deceased’s living history. Many of them have become part of the landscape and popular memory.
The cemetery also harbors mythical figures, among them “Luperce” better known as “The Wolf”, suckling Romulus and Remus. This mausoleum is for the Italian Assitenza.
You will also find “The Bride”, a sculpture in honor of the Lydia S. Glass Lopez (deceased in 1924). There are stories about her apparitions at the site and conflicting versions of her death, one of them is that she died just as she was about to get married and other versions say it happened afterwards.
Other interesting tombs are “The Plane”, resting place of Italian pilot Enrico Massi, who died in 1923 and “The Bike” the actual bike where J. Francisco Sandoval died in 1948.
Other graves of historical figures buried in this cemetery:
• Pío Romero Bosque
• Benjamin Bloom
• Alberto Masferrer
• José Rosales (founder of the public hospital of the same name)
It was not until 2009 that the Municipality of San Salvador issued an order declaring this cemetery as a “Protected Zone” and it is now guarded by Metropolitan Police Agents (CAM). In addition, the Jewish community cemetery is just across the street. La Bermeja Cemetery is the resting place for more popular sectors of the population.
These days, the Tourist Police, POLITUR, provides a monthly night tour, which is of particular interest as it is guided by leading Salvadoran historians. Simply request this service one week in advance.
How to get there:
Address: 7th Avenue and 12th West Street.
You can enter the Cemetery of the Illustrious through the gates next to the Central Market. You may park your car within the premises at no cost.
More:
- To request a tour, contact POLITUR (503) 2511-8300 or (503) 2511-8302 Monday to Friday (business hours) 8:00 am to 5:00 p.m.
This service is FREE.
NOTE: If you require escort service, please specify if you will provide accommodation for the POLITUR agents. Otherwise, the officers will take their camping gear and provide security without any problems.
- POLITUR agents are fully equipped to travel on all weather conditions and terrains (rappel, vertical rescue team), or water situations (jet skis and diving), among others.
- Website: http://www.politurelsalvador.com
Additional information
• Opening hours of the Cemetery of The Illustrious: 7:30 am at 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
• For the night tour a permit is required from the headquarters of General Administration of Cemeteries of San Salvador.
Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. without closing at noon
Phone: (503) 2271-4147
• Website of the Municipality of San Salvador: http://www.sansalvador.gob.sv/?p=171
Satellite Location
Elevation 2184 feet
N 13 ° 41,627 ‘
W 089 ° 11,873 ‘
ditions and terrains (rappel, vertical rescue team), or water situations (jet skis and diving), among others.
- Website: http://www.politurelsalvador.com
Additional information
• Opening hours of the Cemetery of The Illustrious: 7:30 am at 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
• For the night tour a permit is required from the headquarters of General Administration of Cemeteries of San Salvador.
Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. without closing at noon
Phone: (503) 2271-4147
• Website of the Municipality of San Salvador: http://www.sansalvador.gob.sv/?p=171
Satellite Location
Elevation 2184 feet
N 13 ° 41,627 ‘
W 089 ° 11,873 ‘
Desde 1849, el mítico Cementerio de los Ilustres se conserva como uno de los principales camposantos salvadoreños que contiene más de 400 tumbas pertenecientes a importantes familias y personajes distinguidos de la sociedad salvadoreña.
Este lugar es de gran interés histórico y artístico debido a los detalles de su construcción y la belleza de sus estatuas talladas en mármol que fueron elaboradas por escultores europeos y salvadoreños.
Según datos históricos, bajo la administración del presidente Rafael Zaldívar (1876 - 1884) el lugar era conocido el nombre de “Los Ilustres” al momento de erigir un segundo mausoleo en honor a Francisco Morazán, quien luchó por el ideal de unir en una sola Federación a los países Centroamericanos. Además que, a través de los años, las tumbas de personajes y familias distintivas poblaron el sitio.
Se dice también que a este lugar se le nombró como “Panteón de los Grandes Hombres” en 1913 por dictamen de la Asamblea Legislativa, tras el entierro de Manuel Enrique Araujo.
Situado en lo que un día fue una zona exclusiva y esplendor arquitectónico de la capital, en el Cementerio de Los Ilustres descansan los restos de los ex Presidentes de la República Gerardo Barrios, Manuel Enrique Araujo, Isidro Menéndez y Francisco Morazán. También distinguibles artistas del país como los escritores Salarrué, Arturo Ambrogi, Claudia Lars y Alfredo Espino, además de músicos como el paraguayo Agustín Barrios Mangoré.
También, icónicos personajes políticos contemporáneos reposan en él, como el revolucionario Farabundo Martí; el fundador del partido Alianza Republicana Nacionalista de El Salvador (ARENA), Roberto d’Aubuisson; el dirigente del Frente Farabundo Martí para la Liberación Nacional (FMLN) Shafick Hándal.
Este camposanto está abierto al público. Entre sus senderos apreciará la belleza de las esculturas de mármol blanco y mausoleos de valor artístico que guardan los restos de miembros de familias pudientes de San Salvador y el país. Se dice que muchas de las obras fueron pedidas en el extranjero, especialmente a Génova, Italia.
En este cementerio se hallan una variedad de figuras religiosas en diferentes poses en tamaños de grandes proporciones y otras con características peculiares que denotan el estatus de la familia o los antecedentes en vida del difunto. Muchas de ellas se han vuelto parte del paisaje del lugar y de la memoria popular.
Cabe decir que este sitio alberga figuras míticas, entre las más vistosas es la de “Luperca” mejor conocida como “La Loba” que amamanta a Rómulo y Remo. Este mausoleo corresponde a la Assitenza Italiana. También encontrará a “La Novia” (Lidia S. Cristales de López), escultura en honor a la fallecida en 1924; existen relatos de apariciones en el sitio y contrapuestas versiones de su muerte, entre las que se manejan es que falleció momentos antes de contraer matrimonio y otras versiones aseguran que sucedió después. Del mismo modo verá el avión que alude al piloto italiano Enrico Massi, fallecido en 1923. También la figura de “la moto” en la que murió su dueño, J. Francisco Sandoval en 1948.
Otras tumbas de personajes históricos:
Pío Romero Bosque
Benjamín Bloom
Alberto Masferrer
José Rosales (fundador del hospital público del mismo nombre)
Fue hasta el año 2009 que la Alcaldía Municipal de San Salvador emitió una ordenanza 
que declaró este camposanto como “Zona Protegida” custodiada por el Cuerpo de Agentes Metropolitanos (CAM).
Cabe resaltar que al lado opuesto a este campo, cruzando una calle, también hay una sección para la comunidad judía y también se encuentra al Cementerio de La Bermeja, que es el sitio de descanso de los restos de personas de sectores populares de la localidad.
Hoy en día, la Policía de Turismo brinda un tour nocturno mensual. La visita cobra un interés especial ya que cuenta con la guía de destacados historiadores salvadoreños. Solo tiene que solicitar este servicio con una semana de anticipación. Se sugiere consultar el procedimiento a seguir con dicha institución.
Cómo llegar
Dirección: final 7ª avenida sur y 12 calle poniente.
Puede ingresar al Cementerio de Los Ilustres por la entrada que está al frente de uno de los accesos del Mercado Central. Podrá estacionar su carro en el interior del camposanto sin ningún costo.
Mayor información
- Para solicitar el servicio de agentes POLITUR marque al (503) 2511-8300 ó (503) 2511-8302 de lunes a viernes (horas laborales) de 8:00 a.m. a 5:00 p.m.
Esta asistencia es GRATUITA. No tiene que pagar por este servicio, excepto cubrir los gastos de alimentación de los agentes asignados.
NOTA: si se requiere este servicio, favor especificar si se les brindará hospedaje a los agentes. De lo contrario, favor informarlo para que los agentes lleven su equipo para acampar y brindar seguridad sin ningún inconveniente.
- Los agentes POLITUR cuentan con equipos completos para acompañarles en todo tipo de viaje turístico ya sea para montaña (rappel, equipo de rescate vertical), de tipo acuático (motos acuáticas y buceo), entre otras.
- Página web: http://www.politurelsalvador.com
Información complementaria
- Horarios de atención del Cementerio de Los Ilustres: 7:30 a.m. a 12:00 p.m. y de 1:00 p.m. a 5:30 p.m.
- Para tour nocturno se necesita gestionar un permiso a través de las oficinas centrales de Administración General de Cementerios de San Salvador.
Horarios de atención: 8:00 a.m. a 4:00 p.m. sin cerrar al mediodía
Teléfono: (503) 2271-4147
- Página web de la Alcaldía Municipal de San Salvador: http://www.sansalvador.gob.sv/?p=171
Ubicación satelital
Elevación 2184 pies
N 13°41.627´
W 089°11.873´
AVISO
La información presentada en esta Ficha de Promoción de Servicios y Destinos Turísticos de El Salvador es una guía de referencia. Los precios, tarifas, promociones o detalles como el número de personas, horarios de atención, horarios de entrada o salida, tiempos de comida, ingredientes de platillos, duración de tours, sitios incluidos en tour etc. así como números de teléfono, sitios web o direcciones de correo electrónico y físicas, y otros datos pueden variar sin previo aviso de los hoteles, restaurantes, tour operadores, hostales y otros negocios de la industria turística contenidas en este catálogo digital. El Ministerio de Turismo y la Coorporación Salvadoreña de Turismo, así como su agencia de publicidad y cualquier otra empresa o persona natural subcontratada para el levantamiento y recolección de esta información no tiene responsabilidad por ninguna variación en los datos. Se sugiere siempre hacer las consultas respectivas para verificar.
