Crevillent Municipal Cemetery

Crevillent Municipal Cemetery (Spanish: Cementerio Municipal Nuestra Señora de los Dolores) is the historic municipal burial ground of Crevillent, a town in the province of Alicante, in the Valencian Community, Spain. It sits in the area known as Partida Cachapets, on the outskirts of the town, and has served as the town's main cemetery for well over a century.

Origins and construction

Work on the cemetery began on August 13, 1885. Before construction could start, the town council purchased land in Partida Cachapets and commissioned a design for the whole complex. The building contract itself — covering everything except the chapel, which was handled separately — was put out to public tender. The winning bid came from Antonio Pastor Espinosa, a local resident, who was awarded the contract for 32,738 pesetas and 73 céntimos, a substantial sum for a municipal project of that era. The cemetery was completed on May 21, 1890, meaning the whole undertaking took just under five years from groundbreaking to completion. In the years that followed, the municipality acquired additional land specifically to lay out an access road leading to the cemetery's entrance.

Rules and administration

When the cemetery opened, the town adopted a formal regulation governing how it would operate. This document divided the grounds into designated burial sections, established an Administrative Board responsible for overseeing the site, and set out the appointment and duties of the gravedigger. It also fixed the rights attached to burials and the fees charged for cemetery services and for the purchase of burial plots. Such detailed municipal regulation reflects how much importance Crevillent's authorities placed on organizing the cemetery's daily operation from the very start.

Local significance

Crevillent Municipal Cemetery has remained in continuous use since it opened in 1890, serving generations of the town's residents. Its early history is preserved in the Crevillent municipal archive, which holds documentation from the construction period, including records dating back to 1890. The cemetery is recognized as part of the town's historical heritage and is featured among the historic buildings of Crevillent documented by the local administration.

Frequently asked questions

When was Crevillent Municipal Cemetery built? Construction began in August 1885 and the cemetery was completed in May 1890.

What is the cemetery's full official name? Its official name is Cementerio Municipal Nuestra Señora de los Dolores.

Where exactly is the cemetery located? It lies in the area known as Partida Cachapets, on the edge of Crevillent, in the province of Alicante.

Who built the cemetery? The construction work, excluding the chapel, was carried out by Antonio Pastor Espinosa, a local resident who won the public tender for the project.

Is the cemetery still in use today? Yes, it has functioned as Crevillent's main municipal cemetery continuously since 1890.