This book traces, as the subtitle indicates, a mysterious route through the cemeteries of Spain. In its pages the secrets of the cemeteries are explored, as well as the names of their illustrious tenants: from Rocío Jurado to Maruja Mallo, passing through spies, presidents, pioneers and mummies, among others.
In this making of Marta Sanmamed tells the origin of From grave to grave (Almuzara).
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«There are stories that come to light when you least expect it. They are like a ghost on the road or a couple arguing on the street. “They don’t let you look the other way.”
This is how this book with such a “niche” topic was born, from a chat with my friend the anthropologist Israel Espino and her interest in organizing visits to the Mérida cemetery. “Look, Marta, just with what you are telling me you have enough for another book.”. The book she was referring to was Here it lies… or not, and yes, it was also about funerary art and those things about love.
I’m not fooling you. When he put me in contact with Ángeles López de Almuzara I thought about doing a facelift and just throwing it away. Update content evergreen it’s not complicated. But many years had passed and I had very good material.
Shovel by shovel, I unearthed great stories that had not been told and ended up taking a new mysterious and romantic walk From grave to grave.
“Cemetery tourism, necrotourism or funeral tourism is a reality since the European Route of Cemeteries, certified in 2010 as a Cultural Itinerary of the Council of Europe“
I don’t like swimming in red oceans full of sharks, so in intramural cities I feel at peace. There I don’t have to fight for the stories to be positioned, and I have a choice. In Spain, we currently have more than 17,850 cemeteries. In Almudena alone, it is estimated that more than five million people are buried. Do you think there is enough material?
The most fun phase of historical books is the documentation, and includes having a few flats in the town bar, walking among cows, making thousands of calls, traveling a lot or meeting locals to clarify certain points.
Cemetery tourism, necrotourism or funerary tourism is a reality since the European Cemeteries Route, certified in 2010 as a Cultural Itinerary of the Council of Europe, and covers necropolises in countries such as Germany, Austria, France, Italy, Russia and Greece. In Spain it spreads through many communities. Is it possible that your cemetery is part of this itinerary and you don’t know it?
“One of the keys to maintaining sanity has been, without a doubt, humor. Because, let’s face it, talking about death and cemeteries can be a little… bleak“
That’s what I’m for. To take you by the hand and discover hidden beauties. From the beginning I was clear that we were not going to make a catalog of tombs, but rather a vital journey with anecdotes and reflections that invite us to see these spaces not as places of death, but as places where history and culture intertwine.
I have been visiting these intramural cities for more than two decades and, believe me, there are many secrets left to discover.
One of the keys to maintaining sanity has been, without a doubt, humor. Because, let’s face it, talking about death and cemeteries can be a little… bleak. So, between chapters, I have found a way to insert a funny anecdote or a bizarre situation. Like the time I took my bridal bouquet to Bécquer’s grave or the requests I made to the mummy of the founder of my school.
“Get ready to laugh, cry and, above all, to discover that, even in death, there is a lot of life to explore“
I have also had moments of deep introspection, especially when visiting forgotten or ruined graves. In those moments, death stopped being an abstract concept and became something tangible, almost palpable.. It was then that I understood the importance of my work: giving a voice to those who can no longer tell their story, rescuing from oblivion people who, otherwise, would be lost in time.
From grave to grave It is not a guide to cemeteries; is a reflection of a personal journey through history, art and, of course, life. Every tomb, every epitaph, every architectural detail has a story to tell, and my mission was (and still is) to bring those stories to light.
So I invite you to join me on this walk through our heritage cemeteries.. Get ready to laugh, cry and, above all, to discover that, even in death, there is a lot of life to explore. When this journey from tomb to tomb through Spain ends, you will not be the same person. You will be better… or not.
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Author: Marta Sanmamed. Qualification: From grave to grave. Editorial: Lunch Sale: All your books.
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