Discover the Bilbao Cemetery.

A valuable sample of historical and cultural heritage just a stone's throw from Bilbao

Bilbao Cemetery or Vista Alegre Cemetery, usually called Derio Cemetery, is the cemetery of the capital of Bizkaia.

It was inaugurated on 27 April 1902 and, despite the name usually used for it, it is actually located between the towns of Derio and Zamudio. It is the work of Edesio de Garamendi, the architect who started the project, and Enrique de Epalza, his assistant, who completed the work after the death of the former.

At present, the cemetery covers more than 208,000 square metres and around 400,000 people have been buried there. It is the largest necropolis in the Basque Country and one of the most outstanding ones in the whole peninsula.

Bilbao Cemetery is a place of peace, relaxation and introspection, but it also stands out for its undoubted architectural, artistic, cultural and historical richness.

The style of the cemetery is very eclectic, with a variety of styles in its sculptures, pantheons and other architectural elements.

Famous historical figures

Among the thousands of people who rest in the cemetery, there are many illustrious Bilbao men and women whose names echo in history books and who are present in the names of many streets in the capital.

Some examples are Doña Casilda Iturrizar (who gave her name to the so-called "Duck Park" and Viuda de Epalza Street) and her husband, Tomás de Epalza, Tomás Meabe, Indalecio Prieto, Rafael Moreno Aranzadi (Pitxitxi) and Gabriel Aresti, among many others.

Thus, the Bilbao Cemetery not only offers visitors the attraction of its surroundings, but also the opportunity to get to know and connect directly with the history of the city and the experiences of those who played a leading role in it.

Guided tours of the Bilbao Cemetery

A very interesting option offered by Bilbao Zerbitzuak, the entity in charge of managing the city's markets and cemeteries, is to get to know the necropolis through several guided tours. In this way it is possible to delve into the history, art and curiosities of the place in a rigorous, entertaining and accessible way.

The following types of guided tours are currently on offer:

• - General visit: an overview of the history and heritage of Bilbao Cemetery and the role that cemeteries have played throughout history, in general.
• - A cemetery with art: a visit focusing on the extraordinary artistic heritage hidden in the cemetery.
• - War zone: a visit that traces the different war conflicts that have left their mark on the cemetery.
• - Illustrious personalities: in this case, the visit focuses on the most illustrious and outstanding people from Bilbao who rest in the cemetery.
• - Dramatised visit: a new type of visit in which the cemetery's own illustrious characters tell us their history, as well as the history of the cemetery and that of the whole of Bizkaia.

In addition to guided tours, the cemetery is an open space that can be visited free of charge at any time.

Whether you are a lover of history or art, or simply looking for a different special corner of Bilbao Bizkaia's heritage, the Bilbao Cemetery is definitely worth a visit: here you will learn first-hand, and perhaps even narrated by its own protagonists, an important part of the culture and history of this territory.