La Recoleta Cemetery ( es, Cementerio de la Recoleta) is a national cemetery located on the Avenue Mariscal López,
Recoleta, Asunción
Recoleta is a neighbourhood (''barrio'') of Asunción, Paraguay
Paraguay (; ), officially the Republic of Paraguay ( es, República del Paraguay, links=no; gn, Tavakuairetã Paraguái, links=si), is a landlocked country in South America. It ...
,
Paraguay
Paraguay (; ), officially the Republic of Paraguay ( es, República del Paraguay, links=no; gn, Tavakuairetã Paraguái, links=si), is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to th ...
.
It contains the graves of important figures in the country's history, including
presidents of Paraguay
The president of Paraguay ( es, Presidente del Paraguay), officially known as the President of the Republic of Paraguay ( es, Presidente de la República del Paraguay), is according to the Constitution of Paraguay the head of the executive bran ...
.
The Cemetery is open to the public and has an area of about 14 hectares.
History

The cemetery is on the site of a
Franciscan Recollets convent, nationalised by
José Gaspar Rodríguez de Francia
José Gaspar Rodríguez de Francia y Velasco () (6 January 1766 – 20 September 1840) was a Paraguayan lawyer and politician, and the first dictator (1814–1840) of Paraguay following its 1811 independence from the Spanish Viceroyalty of ...
who had appointed himself head of the Paraguayan Church.
Its origin dates from 20 October 1842 the date of its establishment by the government of
Carlos Antonio López
Carlos Antonio López Ynsfrán (November 4, 1792 – September 10, 1862) served as leader of Paraguay from 1841 to 1862.
Early life
López was born at Manorá (Asunción) on November 4, 1792, as one of eight children. He graduated from Real Co ...
and consul
Mariano Roque Alonso
Mariano Roque Alonso Romero (16 August 1792 Ybytimí – 7 August 1853) was President of the Provisional Junta of Paraguay from 9 February 1841 to 14 March 1841. On 14 March 1841, he established a government ruling jointly with Carlos Antonio L� ...
. Its creation was due to the lack of space for the burial of the deceased. Prior to this, remains were buried in churches or in the patios of houses. It was the first general public cemetery in the city and the country.
Notable interments

*
Augusto Roa Bastos
Augusto Roa Bastos (13 June 1917 – 26 April 2005) was a Paraguayan novelist and short story writer. As a teenager he fought in the Chaco War between Paraguay and Bolivia, and he later worked as a journalist, screenwriter and professor. ...
(1917–2005), author
* (1963–2009), singer
*
León Cadogan
León Cadogan (29 July 1899 – 30 May 1973) was a Paraguayan ethnologist who made significant contributions to the study of Guaraní language and culture.
Childhood and studies
León Cadogan was born in Asunción a few months after his Austra ...
(1899–1973), ethnologist
*
Serafina Dávalos (1883–1957), prominent feminist and lawyer
*
Alejandro Guanes
Alejandro Guanes was born in Asunción, Paraguay, November 28, 1872. He was son of Francisco Guanes and Matilde Recalde.
He was a poet, prose-writer, teacher and journalist. While still a teenager, he traveled to Buenos Aires, Argentina, ...
(1872–1925), poet and journalist
*
Hermann Guggiari
Hermann Guggiari (20 March 1924 – 1 January 2012) was a Paraguayan engineer and sculptor.
Childhood and youth
Guggiari was born in Asunción, Paraguay the son of Ana Brun and Pedro Bruno Guggiari, considered by many the most remarkable amo ...
(1924–2012), engineer and sculptor
*
Eliza Lynch
Eliza Alice Lynch (Cork, Ireland, 19 November 1833 – Paris, France, 25 July 1886) was the Irish mistress-wife of Francisco Solano López, president of Paraguay.
The most vilified woman in Latin-American history, she was dubbed as "an ...
(1833–1886), First Lady of Paraguay
*
Ananías Maidana
Ananías Maidana (26 July 192330 October 2010) was a teacher and politician in Paraguay. For years he was a political prisoner under the dictatorship of Alfredo Stroessner. He later became secretary-general of the Paraguayan Communist Party, and ...
(1923–2010), teacher and politician
*
Epifanio Méndez Fleitas
Epifanio Méndez Fleitas (7 April 1917 – 22 November 1985) was a Paraguayan musician, writer and poet, and twice the president of Central Bank of Paraguay: from 1952 to 1954 and in 1955. He fled Paraguay during the Alfredo Stroessner years and ...
(1917–1985), musician, writer and poet
* (1926–2003), journalist, writer, playwright and poet
*
Fulgencio R. Moreno (1872–1933), journalist
*
Luis Alberto del Paraná
Luis Alberto del Paraná (21 June 1926 – 15 September 1974) was a Paraguayan singer and guitarist. During the fifties, sixties and early seventies, he traveled extensively around the globe with his group Los Paraguayos, popularizing Paraguayan ...
(1926–1974), singer and guitarist
*
Marcelo Pecci (1976–2022), anti-drug and organized crime prosecutor
*
Silvio Pettirossi (1887–1916), aviation pioneer
*
María Odulia Nicola Ruotti
María Odulia Nicola Ruotti, also known as Chinita de Nicola (5 September 1922 - 9 February 2006), was a singer and composer from Paraguay who was blind from a young age.
Biography
Ruotti was born in Asunción on 5 September 1922. Blind fro ...
(1922–2006), singer and composer
*
Adela Speratti (1865–1902), educator
*
Celsa Speratti (1868–1938), educator
* (1780–1856), architect
* William Henry Keld Whytehead (1825–1865), engineer-in-chief to the Government of Paraguay
*
Roque Vallejos Roque Vallejos (Asunción 1943 - Asunción, 2 April 2006) was a poet, psychiatrist and essayist from Paraguay.
Background
He was a forensic surgeon in the High Court of Justice.
He served as a member and the president of the Academia de la Leng ...
(1943–2006), poet, psychiatrist and essayist
Presidents
*
Patricio Escobar
Patricio Escobar (March 17, 1843 – April 19, 1912) was the President of Paraguay between November 25, 1886 and November 25, 1890.
His life
He was born in San José de los Arroyos on March 17, 1843. His parents were José Escobar and Ana Bella ...
(1843–1912), 10th President of Paraguay
*
Juan Gualberto González
Juan Gualberto González (July 12, 1851 – July 30, 1912) was the President of Paraguay and served from 1890 until his forced resignation in 1894.
His life
Juan Gualberto González was born in Asunción on July 12, 1851. He married with tea ...
(1851–1912), 11th President of Paraguay
*
Emilio Aceval
Emilio Aceval Marín (October 16, 1853 – April 15, 1931) was President of Paraguay from 1898 to 1902. He was a member of the Colorado Party.
Biography
Aceval's parents were Don Leonardo Aceval and Ms Monica Marin. He studied under Fidel Ma� ...
(1853–1931), 14th President of Paraguay
*
Andrés Héctor Carvallo
Andrés Héctor Carvallo Acosta (8 November 1862, Asunción – 16 August 1934) was a Paraguayan politician.
He served as President of the Chamber of Deputies.https://www.csj.gov.py/cache/lederes/R-1-011891-L-3-0.pdf Later he served as Vice ...
(1862–1934), 15th President of Paraguay
*
Juan Antonio Escurra Juan Antonio Escurra (May 6, 1859 – August 24, 1929) was the President of Paraguay from 1902 to 1904. He was born on May 6, 1859 in Caraguatay, Cordillera department. He was married with Josefa M. Rojas, woman from a traditional family, who late ...
(1859–1929), 16th President of Paraguay
*
Cecilio Báez
Cecilio Báez González (January 1, 1862 – June 18, 1941) was provisional President of Paraguay from December 8, 1905 to November 25, 1906. He was a member of the Liberal Party.
Early life and career
Dr. Cecilio Báez González was born in As ...
(1862–1941), 18th President of Paraguay
*
Emiliano González Navero
Emiliano González Navero (16 June 1861 – 18 October 1934) was a Paraguayan politician of the Liberal Party, he served as President of Paraguay on three occasions and as Vice President of Paraguay on two occasions.
His life
He was one of the ...
(1861–1934), 20th President of Paraguay
*
Pedro Peña (1864–1943), 24th President of Paraguay
*
Eduardo Schaerer (1873–1941), 25th President of Paraguay
*
Luis Alberto Riart
Luis Alberto Riart Vera (21 June 1880 – 1 October 1953) was a Paraguayan politician and President of Paraguay from 17 March 1924 until 15 August 1924.
His Government
When Eligio Ayala renounced the presidency on March 17, 1924, Riart took ch ...
(1880–1953), 31st President of Paraguay
*
José Patricio Guggiari
José Patricio Guggiari Corniglione (17 March 1884, in Asunción – 30 October 1957, in Buenos Aires) was a Paraguayan politician by the Partido Liberal Radical Auténtico.
He was President of the Republic of Paraguay between 1928 and 1932. ...
(1884–1957), 32nd President of Paraguay
*
Rafael Franco
Rafael de la Cruz Franco Ojeda (October 22, 1896 – September 16, 1973) was a Paraguayan military officer and politician, served as Provisional President of Paraguay from February 17, 1936, to August 13, 1937, being also the historical leader ...
(1896–1973), 32nd President of Paraguay
*
Higinio Morínigo
Higinio Nicolás Morínigo Martínez (January 11, 1897 – January 27, 1983) was a military officer, politician and Paraguayan dictator. He participated in the Chaco War (1932–1935) as a prominent officer of the Paraguayan Army. After the war ...
(1897–1983), 35th President of Paraguay
*
Juan Manuel Frutos (1879–1960), 36th President of Paraguay
*
Raimundo Rolón (1903–1981), 38th President of Paraguay
*
Felipe Molas López
Felipe Benigno Molas López (10 July 1901 – 17 November 1954) was 39th President of Paraguay from February 27, 1949 – September 10, 1949, when he resigned.
Life
Early life
Born in 1901 in Yuty, Caazapá Department. Once he completed h ...
(1901–1954), 39th President of Paraguay
*
Federico Chávez
Federico Chávez Careaga (February 15, 1882 – April 24, 1978) was a Paraguayan politician and soldier who served as President of Paraguay from September 10, 1949, to May 4, 1954. He was a member of the Colorado Party.
Early life
Chávez wa ...
(1882–1978), 40th President of Paraguay
Gallery
File:Eliza Lynch mausoleum (13).jpg
File:Eliza Lynch mausoleum (18).jpg
File:Eliza Lynch mausoleum.jpg
File:Recoleta cemetery (2).jpg
File:Recoleta cemetery (3).jpg
File:Recoleta cemetery (5).jpg
File:Recoleta cemetery (6).jpg
File:Recoleta cemetery (7).jpg
File:Recoleta cemetery (8).jpg
File:Recoleta cemetery (9).jpg
File:Recoleta cemetery (10).jpg
File:Recoleta cemetery (11).jpg
File:Recoleta cemetery (12).jpg
File:Recoleta cemetery (15).jpg
File:Recoleta cemetery (16).jpg
File:Recoleta cemetery (17).jpg
File:Recoleta cemetery (19).jpg
File:Recoleta cemetery (20).jpg
File:Recoleta cemetery (21).jpg
File:Recoleta cemetery (22).jpg
File:Recoleta cemetery (23).jpg
References
External links
Cementerio La RecoletaMunicipality of Asunción
Cementerio de la RecoletaBillionGraves
{{DEFAULTSORT:Recoleta Cemetery
Cemeteries established in the 1840s
Cemeteries in Paraguay
National cemeteries