The Chapel of Jesus and its stone bell gable

Heritage in stone · Barichara

The stone cemetery

Graves carved by the town’s stonemasons and a chapel from 1741, about 1,000 feet from the main square.

1 / 5 · The chapel

A chapel from 1741

Built entirely of rough-hewn stone, right next to the cemetery.

2 / 5 · The entrance

A stone arch

The cemetery gate. To one side, a sign explains what you’re about to see.

3 / 5 · The graves

A garden of headstones

Trees, flowers, and lawns among crosses and carved headstones.

4 / 5 · The trade

Every grave tells a life story

Carvers recreate what the person did in life: teachers, musicians, drivers, carpenters…

5 / 5 · The bell gable

Stone upon stone

The chapel watches over the cemetery. Its bell gable was rebuilt in 1998.

Good to know

Cemetery and Chapel of the Risen Jesus

Barichara’s cemetery works like an open-air museum: the town’s stone carvers have filled its graves with funeral symbols, religious images and, at families’ request, each person’s trade and tastes. Next to it stands the Chapel of Jesus, built in 1741. There’s no entrance fee.

Where: West of the main squareAbout 1,000 feet on foot
Admission: FreeIt’s an active cemetery—please visit respectfully
What you’ll see: Stone-carved gravesAnd the Chapel of Jesus, from 1741
When to go: During the dayThe carvings look best in good light

Be respectful: this is an active cemetery. Keep your voice down, don’t climb on the graves, and if there’s a burial, come back another time.

An open-air museum

Graves that tell stories

The official sign at the entrance sums it up: the cemetery showcases the skill of local stone carvers. Sometimes they carve classic funeral symbols or images of the Sacred Heart and the Virgin Mary. Other times, at the family’s request, they recreate the trade, personality, and tastes of the deceased. And sometimes they make their own versions of masterpieces.

Trades carved in stone

You’ll find graves of teachers with books and school supplies, musicians with their instruments, drivers with their vehicles, carpenters, goat breeders, and singers.

A Last Supper in stone

At the entrance is a replica of The Last Supper carved by sculptor Arsenio Plata for the Rodríguez Díaz family. The sign and several sources attribute it to Gaudí, although the world’s most famous Last Supper is Leonardo da Vinci’s.

The Chapel of Jesus

Built in 1741 entirely of rough-hewn stone, which gives it a very particular beauty. In 1998, the missing stones of the second and third tiers of its bell gable were rebuilt, restoring its original look. In the small park next door, there’s a stone carving of the risen Jesus.

History