Lloret de Mar Cemetery

Lloret de Mar Cemetery, known locally as the Cementiri Modernista, is one of the most unexpected sights in this Costa Brava resort town — a quiet, cypress-lined necropolis filled with Art Nouveau architecture, just a short walk from the seafront and the town centre.

How did a modernist cemetery end up in a seaside resort?

The cemetery was founded in 1892 on the initiative of architect Joaquim Artau i Fàbregas, but its real transformation came from local money earned abroad. Between 1896 and 1901 it was rebuilt and expanded thanks to the patronage of Lloret's "indianos" — townspeople who had emigrated to work in Cuba and other parts of the West Indies and returned home wealthy. The renovated cemetery was officially inaugurated in 1901, designed around the concept of a "village of the dead," complete with its own streets and house-like mausoleums.

Who designed the indianos' family tombs?

The fortunes made overseas gave the indianos the means to commission some of the leading architects of Catalan modernism to design their family pantheons and hypogeums, including Josep Puig i Cadafalch, Antoni Maria Gallissà Soqué, Vicenç Artigas and Bonaventura Conill Montobbio. The result is a collection of elaborate, richly decorated tombs blending Art Nouveau, neo-Gothic and Mediterranean influences — a striking contrast to the plain village cemeteries typical of rural Catalonia at the time.

Why is this cemetery worth a stop in Lloret de Mar?

Lloret de Mar Cemetery is the only site of its kind in the province of Girona to belong to the international European Cemeteries Route and the Association of Significant Cemeteries in Europe (ASCE), a network recognising the continent's most historically and architecturally important burial grounds. That status places it well beyond a local curiosity — for anyone interested in architecture or history, it stands alongside comparable modernist landmarks in Barcelona and Sitges.

Walking through its narrow paths effectively traces the economic history of the region: each tomb tells the story of a family that built its fortune overseas and chose to memorialise it through lasting, artistic monuments back home. The site sits at coordinates 41.701675, 2.836183, making it easy to include on a walking route from the town centre.

Frequently asked questions

Is there an entrance fee? No, the cemetery is open to the public like most municipal cemeteries in Spain — visitors can walk in freely during opening hours.

How long does a visit take? A relaxed walk through the main paths and the most notable tombs typically takes 30–45 minutes.

Is this the only modernist cemetery in the area? Yes, it is the only one of its kind in the entire province of Girona, making it a unique stop on the Costa Brava's architectural map.

Who is this attraction best suited for? Mainly visitors interested in architecture, Catalan history and the indianos phenomenon — a less obvious choice for beach-focused travellers, but a worthwhile detour from the usual itinerary.