[Fisterra] Fisterra Municipal Cemetery - Cesar Portela

[SWANK-E]

The cemetery is located on Cape Fisterra, one of the most beautiful landscapes along the Spanish coast. Composed of small structures clustered along an existing road that follows the hillside, the cemetery is conceived as an extension of the landscape without enclosure of any kind and with the ever-present sea as a background. Inspired by the topography, silence, absence and memory, the image of the project is that of a pathway through a cluster of homes adapting its route to the abrupt variations of the terrain as it continues down the moutainside.

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How to get there:

It is located in Galicia (Gaelic part of Spain) in the north western part of Spain. The best way to get there is first get to Santiago de Compostela or A Coruña.

Fisterra, literally meaning "Land's End", is located at Costa da Morte ("Death Coast") where Spain stops and the Atlantic begins. Although this is not mainland Spain's western most point, it's certainly an impressive spot.

To get to Fisterra, up to 6 buses run daily from A Coruña (around €10,35)and up to 7 runs from Santiago de Compostela (around €10), some requireing a change in Baio.

The cemetery is about 1.5km south of the town of Fisterra towards the cape (Cabo Fisterra).

sourced from Lonely Planet - Spain

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Here is the KMZ.

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There is a great podcast from Ted Wells living:simple about this cemetery as well as contemporary Spanish architecture. He offers such beautiful and poetic description of this project.

Excerpt:

At the farthest western edge of Spain, where it meets the sea and looks to the setting sun over the Atlantic this desolate landscape is formed by the constant wind and waves. It is a harsh land, this tip of Galicia, where the most valued natural resource is the sea. And on this westernmost point, Finisterre, also known as the coast of death because of a long history of shipwrecks, perches one of the most moving pieces of modern architecture, a cemetery for sailors and fishermen, by architect Cesar Portela.

I think Ted is a lurker on this forum as I have exchanged emails with him once.

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The walk from Fisterra to the cemetery is a pleasant one, especially in summer time because the coast is a lot cooler than inland. I would imagine it would be a dramatic landscape during the colder months.

This is the view you get

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although not part of the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage, some pilgrims after reaching Santiago de Compostela would continue to Cape Finisterre (Cabo Fisterra), to the end of the 'known Christian world' of the times (though also not correct geographically speaking, but the tradition remains)

here are some pilgrims on the road

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colourful and steep coastline

[MICHEL]

Originally Posted by SWANK-E

although not part of the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage, some pilgrims after reaching Santiago de Compostela would continue to Cape Finisterre (Cabo Fisterra), to the end of the 'known Christian world' of the times (though also not correct geographically speaking, but the tradition remains)

here are some pilgrims on the road

Christian pilgrims or arch pilgrims ?

[SWANK-E]

once you see the pilgrim statute, you are close... you can actually see the cemetery in the picture.

[SWANK-E]

the cemetery actually consists of the small chapel (up the top) and 2 clusters of tombs