Up until the second half of the 18th century, Christian tradition ordered the deceased to be buried inside churches. This custom was prohibited by several regulations, Royal Decrees and documents, due to insalubrity, and so the construction of cemeteries away from urban areas became mandatory.
Thus, different locations were considered for the construction of a cemetery.
The first to be built, which dated back to 1837, was located opposite the church of Saint James the Apostle and allowed the burial of people of different faiths, as well as people who weren’t eligible for burial inside churches, according to the Church. This cemetery fulfilled its function until 1947, when the cemetery located in the Mocán neighbourhood was inaugurated.
