After the city of Lisbon was hit by an outbreak of cholera in 1833,
causing thousands of deaths, it was urgent to create a large cemetery
for both rich and poorer victims. It has the weird name of Cemetery of
‘Pleasures’, called after the nearby neighborhood (Prazeres) with the same name. Many of its tombs are big mausoleums, some with the size of small chapels.
This remarkable cemetery
is really an interesting place to visit. Famous Portuguese personalities
are buried here, mainly actors, singers, writers, painters and
television presenters. The mortal remains of Amália Rodrigues, the famous fado artist, were transferred to the National Pantheon
in Lisbon (under enormous pressure from her admirers and a change in
the law requiring a minimum of four years before repatriation).
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