Cementiri d'Arbúcies

Cementiri d'Arbúcies is the historic municipal cemetery of Arbúcies, a town in the La Selva county of Catalonia, at the foot of the Montseny mountain range. The burial ground sits on the northeastern edge of the settlement, along the road heading toward Sant Hilari Sacalm, set apart from the compact village centre.

Why is the cemetery located outside the village?

The out-of-town position is no coincidence. It reflects a sanitary reform dating back to the late 18th century, introduced under a royal decree of Charles III, which required burial grounds to be moved away from inhabited areas to reduce the health risks associated with interring the dead within churches and their adjoining graveyards in town centres. Most Catalan municipalities adopted this model, and Arbúcies followed the same pattern — hence the peripheral siting still visible today.

What does the cemetery entrance look like?

The most distinctive feature of the site is its neoclassical entrance gate. The opening is framed by a white, plastered surround topped with a lowered arch — a simple yet clearly defined architectural form typical of the neoclassical style at the turn of the 18th and 19th centuries. The gate itself is a large wrought-iron grille, decorated at its base with two relief crosses, a religious motif that signals the site's purpose from the very threshold.

Why is it listed as architectural heritage?

Thanks to its neoclassical design and historical value, Cementiri d'Arbúcies has been included in Catalonia's Catalogue of Architectural Heritage (Catàleg de Patrimoni Arquitectònic de Catalunya). The listing mainly recognises the entrance elements and the overall layout of the grounds, which reflect the period's typical approach to designing cemetery spaces — emphasising order, symmetry and restrained but legible decoration.

How many people are buried here?

Today the municipal cemetery holds more than 1,400 burial niches and 22 crypts. This total includes 67 graves transferred from the cemetery of Joanet, a neighbouring settlement once administratively merged with Arbúcies — a detail that has left its mark on the structure of the necropolis itself.

What is the story behind the "grave of the English"?

One particularly notable section of the cemetery is the so-called "grave of the English" (tomba dels anglesos), a collective burial plot holding 113 people. It was created following a 1970 plane crash in which a large group of passengers lost their lives. The plot remains a distinct, clearly marked part of the cemetery layout, serving as a quiet reminder of a tragedy from over five decades ago and linking the local history of Arbúcies to an event of far wider, international resonance.

What makes this cemetery worth a visit?

For anyone interested in sepulchral architecture or the history of the La Selva region, Cementiri d'Arbúcies is a small but meaningful stop. It brings together traces of Enlightenment-era sanitary reforms, local administrative history through the link with Joanet, and the memory of one of the 20th century's aviation tragedies. It remains a calm, modest site, typical of rural Catalan cemeteries, yet carrying traces of events whose significance reaches well beyond the municipality.

How can visitors reach the cemetery?

The cemetery lies along the road leaving Arbúcies toward Sant Hilari Sacalm, on the town's northeastern edge — an easy walk or short drive from the village centre, just minutes from the main square.