Arenys de Mar Cemetery

Arenys de Mar Cemetery is one of Catalonia's most distinctive burial grounds, where Modernist funerary art meets sweeping views of the Mediterranean. The cemetery opened in 1868 beside the Hermitage of La Pietat, built to a design by architect Modest Fossas. In 1894 the decision was made to enlarge the grounds, and the chapel that still anchors the site today dates from that expansion; a further Modernist refurbishment followed in 1897, giving the cemetery much of the artistic character it retains now.

How is the cemetery laid out?

The grounds climb the hillside across three terraced levels. The lower two are lined with wall niches and flowerbeds for ground burials, organized around a central avenue of cypress trees that draws the eye toward the sea below. The third and uppermost level is reserved for family pantheons and mausoleums, arranged around the Chapel of Mercy (Capilla de la Piedad) — and it's here that the cemetery's most significant funerary art is concentrated.

Why is it considered an important example of funerary art?

The upper terrace is regarded as an outstanding showcase of the flourishing of funerary art that took place from the last quarter of the 19th century into the early decades of the 20th. Visitors can find Modernist, historicist and eclectic works signed by some of the era's leading names — Vallmitjana, Llimona, Carcassó, Sagnier, Arnau, Marès, Martinell and the local sculptor Joan Barrera among them. The density and variety of sculptural detail turn a walk among the tombs into something close to touring an open-air gallery of turn-of-the-century art.

Where does the name "Cemetery of Sinera" come from?

Arenys de Mar Cemetery is often called the literary cemetery of Catalonia, a reputation it owes to the poet and writer Salvador Espriu. In his work "Cementiri de Sinera" (Cemetery of Sinera), he transformed the real burial ground into a mythical, literary setting — "Sinera" being "Arenys" spelled backwards. That poetic device turned a specific place into a symbol for broader reflections on life, death and memory, and it's a layer of meaning many visitors only discover once they're already walking its paths.

What should visitors look out for?

The contrast between the plain, functional lower terraces and the artistic richness of the upper level is worth pausing over: sculpture, wrought ironwork and mausoleum architecture combine into a stylistically varied but coherent whole. The cypress avenue is another highlight, framing views out to the Mediterranean — the kind of vista that explains why cemeteries like this one along the Catalan coast are sometimes described as uniquely beautiful "cities of the dead."

Frequently asked questions

When was Arenys de Mar Cemetery built? It opened in 1868 to a design by architect Modest Fossas, was enlarged from 1894, and underwent a Modernist refurbishment in 1897.

Why is it called the "Cemetery of Sinera"? The name references Salvador Espriu's work "Cementiri de Sinera," which used the reversed name of Arenys to turn the cemetery into a literary and symbolic setting.

Which artists' works can be seen there? The upper terrace features pieces by Vallmitjana, Llimona, Sagnier, Arnau, Marès, Martinell and local sculptor Joan Barrera, spanning Modernist and historicist styles.

What defines the cemetery's layout? Three terraced levels rising up the hillside, a central cypress avenue, and sweeping Mediterranean views from the upper pantheons and mausoleums.