Montjuïc Cemetery Museum has expanded its collection with remarkable new additions, including a fence salvaged from a high-profile looting incident.
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The museum’s carriage collection, already Europe’s largest of its kind, now showcases seven additional pieces of Barcelona’s funerary art heritage. This expansion comes just in time for All Saints’ Day, when many visitors explore the city’s cemeteries.
Montjuïc Cemetery Museum Preserves Stolen Heritage
Among the most significant new exhibits is the sole surviving section of bronze railing from the Coromina pantheon. This modernist tomb suffered three separate thefts within a single month nearly two years ago. Consequently, cemetery authorities have significantly enhanced security measures throughout the grounds.
The original fence fragment has been carefully restored to its original gleaming appearance after years of weathering. Meanwhile, a meticulous replica costing €70,000 has been created to replace the stolen sections. Xavier Santos, from Badalona’s Forjas Santos workshop, replicated the intricate floral patterns with remarkable precision.
Furthermore, the museum expansion includes works by celebrated architect Josep Puig i Cadafalch and sculptor Venanci Vallmitjana. These pieces were either donated by tomb owners or recovered from abandoned graves where descendants could no longer maintain them.
Historic Collection Continues To Grow
The museum plans to continue expanding this new section with additional funerary artworks. These pieces will complement the existing carriage collection, which features 13 funeral carriages and six accompanying vehicles dating from 1870 to the 1930s. Additionally, three historic motor vehicles complete the transportation display.
According to Adrià Terol, historian and cultural manager at Cementiris de Barcelona, the carriages reveal much about historical funeral customs. “The number of horses and priests in the procession indicated the economic capacity of the deceased,” he explains. “An eight-horse carriage represented a luxury funeral, while the simplest used just one or two horses.”
The museum’s expansion reflects growing appreciation for Barcelona’s funerary art, which represents one of the city’s most extensive yet underappreciated cultural assets. Visitors can now explore this heritage through both the new permanent exhibition and seasonal cultural activities happening across the city.
Security remains a priority, with plans to install 92 new cameras across eight cemeteries. Thirty-five of these will monitor Montjuïc, where valuable artworks require protection. This initiative follows other recent heritage preservation projects throughout Barcelona.
The expanded Montjuïc Cemetery Museum offers visitors a unique opportunity to explore Barcelona’s rich funerary traditions. Through these carefully preserved artifacts, the city’s history continues to resonate with contemporary audiences, ensuring that this remarkable cultural legacy remains accessible for future generations.
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