On May 26th, the Cycle of Visits to the Lapa Cemetery 2024 begins. Since 2022, the Lapa Cemetery has been recognized as a Monumental Cemetery by ASCE – Association of Significant Cemeteries of Europe and a member of the European Cemeteries Route. Built in 1833, it is the oldest Portuguese romantic cemetery and a true open-air museum.

When walking through the streets of the Lapa Cemetery, you can see chapels and tombs built by the Porto bourgeoisie, which stand out for their monumentality and quality of construction. This “gallery of illustrious people” also contains some of the most famous works of art from the Romantic period, from architecture and sculpture to the arts of iron and ceramics. At the end of the 19th century, the Lapa Cemetery was one of the most beautiful in all of Europe.

In the first visit of the Cycle, "History (and stories) of the Cemetery", Francisco Queiroz will reveal to us some facts about its foundation and construction and also how the cemetery was seen and described by various 19th century authors, with many unusual curiosities in between.