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Historic cemetery · Punta Arenas, Magalhães e Antártica Chilena
Cementerio Municipal Sara Braun
Cemetery dating from 1894, a national historic monument, with rows of pruned cypresses and mausoleums of Punta Arenas' pioneering families.
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
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About Cementerio Municipal Sara Braun
The Cementerio Municipal Sara Braun was inaugurated in 1894 north of Punta Arenas city center and covers about 4 hectares. The entrance portico and the walls were built starting in 1919 with a donation from Sara Braun, a businesswoman and one of the region's wealthiest figures at the time. A local legend says the central door of the portico remained closed after her burial.
The layout is marked by long avenues of cypresses pruned into geometric shapes that divide the burial blocks. Among them are the mausoleums of the Braun, Menéndez, Blanchard and Kusanovic families, which tell the story of sheep farming and trade in Patagonia. The cemetery is a Historic Monument protected by the Chilean State.
The names on the headstones show the mix of European immigrants and Chileans who shaped Magallanes. Also buried there are the British sailor Charles Amherst Milward and Antonio Soto, leader of the Patagonia strikes in the 1920s.
One of the most visited graves is that of the Indio Desconocido, with a bronze statue of an indigenous man. Visitors leave plaques of thanks and requests there, and the figure has become an object of popular devotion.
Before you go
Practical information
Cidade Turismo reviews its information regularly, but something may have changed. Check with the place before planning your trip.
How much time to set aside
About one to one-and-a-half hours, walking along the main avenues.
Best time
Open every day. In the morning or late afternoon the low light enhances the cypresses. Avoid the windiest hours if you want to photograph.
How to get there
It's located on Avenida Bulnes, about 1 km north of Plaza Muñoz Gamero. You can walk there in about 15 minutes, or go by taxi or by local bus (colectivo) along the avenue.
Tip
Visit respectfully: it is an active cemetery. Look for the grave of the Indio Desconocido near one of the side avenues and notice the Croatian names, a sign of the large Dalmatian immigration to Magallanes.
Get your questions answered
Frequently asked questions about Cementerio Municipal Sara Braun
Why is the Punta Arenas cemetery famous?
For its avenues of pruned cypresses and the mausoleums of the region's pioneering families. It is a Historic Monument of Chile.
Who was Sara Braun?
A businesswoman who grew wealthy from sheep farming and trade in Patagonia. She donated the cemetery's gateway and walls.
Who is the Indio Desconocido?
An indigenous person buried in the cemetery whose grave became a center of popular devotion. Visitors leave plaques of thanks at the foot of the bronze statue.