Spanish version


Panteon de Hombres Ilustres - Pantheon of Illustrious Men

EntranceNext to the Basilica de Atocha we can visit the Panteon de Hombres Ilustres - Pantheon of Illustrious Men. It was built by the architect Fernando Arbos y Tremanti in neobyzantine style.
It is located in Julian Gayarre, 3.
In the times of Queen Maria Cristina the first idea was to create this pantheon in the Basilica of San Francisco el Grande.
The General Court had to decide what distinguished Spanish celebrities should rest here 50 years after their death. People like Cervantes, Lope de Vega, Velazquez or Tirso de Molina should have been buried here, but their bodies were never found.
Among the first celebrities brought to the pantheon were poets and polititians, but after some years their bodies were returned to their original graves.
Some years later they decided to build a new basilica where these illustrious men could be honored. It should also be used for royal ceremonies.
Canovas´tomb The Church of Nuestra Señora de Atocha had been used by the French Army during the War of Independence and was therefore quite destroyed. Queen Maria Cristina decided that a new basilica should substitute this old one. A competiton was organized to choose the best project and Fernando Arbos won. The building started in 1891 and was finished by 1899, although only part of the project was made, the bell tower, the chapel and the pantheon. Again several distinguished Spaniards were buried here, but after some years their bodies were taken to other cities.

Among the illustrious men that are buried in the pantheon we find Jose Canalejas (sculpture by Mariano Benlliure), Antonio Canovas del Castillo (scultpure by Querol) or Praxedes Mateo Sagasta (sculture by Benlliure).
Multiple graveyard Sagasta´s tombIt is a pity that the project was not finished as this makes this place seem provisional, as if the sculptures have no conexion and could be placed somewhere else in any moment. Even though it is worth visiting as the sculptures are very impressive and reflect the feelings of a past time.

@Copyright 2008, 2009 Mª Dolores Diehl Busch. All rights reserved.
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