Cementiri de Montjuïc

One of the most fascinating cemeteries I have ever seen lies on a hill called Montjuïc. This bulky mound rises from the edge of the sea and can be seen from all quarters of Barcelona. The word “Montjuïc” means “mount of the Jews,” named for the Jews who buried their dead on this hill before the Inquisition.

The new cemetery began in 1883 to accommodate the bustling population growth of Barcelona. There are over one million burials here. The lanes of the cemetery wind like a snake up the steep slopes of Montjuïc, overlooking the sea and the tombs below.
 

Some burials are in large mausoleums. If you peek inside you can see frescoes on the ceiling and walls. Others come with ornate statues of angels, Christ, and people in mourning. The headstones are carved with painstaking detail. Most of the graves for the “common folk” come in vaults, usually stacked six graves high. The death dates are spread over the last 135 years. I saw one from May 2018. Many had no death date at all, but only a family name.
 

In addition to the one road that goes from bottom to top, there are also multiple stone stairways for the pedestrian. Within the walls of many of the stairways are additional graves, showing that every possible space is being used. Fountains of potable water are easy to find.
 
We spent three hours at the cemetery and barely scratched the surface. We walked around and soaked up the new experience, seeing very few other people, especially at the upper levels.
 

As we walked down toward the memorial for Lluis Companys, we noticed a trio of speckled birds walking along the terrace below. Not thinking much of it we continued to the rock stairs where we would need to descend. We noticed two seagulls, one of them perched on a headstone. I didn't budge. Every five seconds it would make a loud call. We thought it was cute and took some pictures.
 
After we had our feel of watching the bird, we attempted to descend the stairs (we were sure they would fly away). Then suddenly the bird flew straight at us, pulling up to avert our head at the last moment! We took cover and were amazed at what had just happened. Then, as we had taken a couple more steps, another seagull from high in the air took a diving swoop that again almost skinned our skulls. By now we were frazzled. We quickly learned that the speckled birds were their babies they were attempting to protect.
 
After more failed attempts we retreated and attempted to descend by another set of stairs. These were better, but it was still a dicey situation. I crouched down and stayed close to the rock wall of the steps. A flock of seagulls circled above and cawed. At last we made it through!
 

Hidden in the northwest corner of the cemetery along a road that can be difficult to find is Fossar de la Pedrera, or Cemetery of the Quarry as it is translated from Catalán. During medieval days of Barcelona this site was used as a quarry for some of the major buildings under construction. For example, when Santa Maria del Mar was being built, the bastaixos would haul large stones secured with a sling that they would carry on their backs for several miles.
 
The stone cliffs that were once chiseled away are still visible, but now there is vegetation growing over the surface. The large niche in the hillside is isolated and peaceful. We were the only people there during our visit. A vast portion of ground is covered with grass and there are memorials and a statue.
 
During the dictatorship of Francisco Franco, Fossar de la Pedrera was used as a burial ground for those who were executed. It is estimated that between 1939 and 1952, nearly 1,717 people were killed, most of them by firing squad at Camp de la Bota on the northeast side of Barcelona.
 
Spending time here makes it easy to understand why the people of Catalunya have such resentment toward the rest of Spain and why they seek their own independence.
 

On the perimeter of the fossar is the grave of Lluís Companys. It's not your typical burial spot. It is covered by a low arch and surrounded by a pond with floating lilies.
 
Lluís Companys was the president of Catalunya and executed in 1940, not far away at Montjuïc Castle by the Franco regime. He is the only incumbent democratically elected official in European history to have been executed.

* * *
 
By now the sun angled high over our heads and we decided it was time to return to the city. We passed more stone graves and statues. In the distance we could still hear the caw of the gulls. We descended to the lower terrace, crossed under the motorway and waited for bus number 21. ♠