The St John the Baptist cemetery, in the Rio neighbourhood of Botafogo, is the resting place of many noteworthy Brazilians, including the composer Antônio Carlos Jobim and singer/actor Carmen Miranda. But the anjinhos (little angels) section is one of the most secluded, mysterious and moving places in the city.
Take the main avenue after going through the main gateway on Rua General Polidoro; about halfway to the cemetery chapel (unfortunately closed) facing you a path heads left towards the small hill with no buildings that forms part of the cemetery grounds in its north-east corner, along Rua Álvaro Ramos.
At the foot of the hill, a flight of stone steps leads up a small hill, leaving behind the gentle stir of the few visitors in the cemetery. The atmosphere changes quickly and you find yourself in a forested wilderness, on an uneven stone path in the undergrowth. A few steps further and the mood changes again, with ancient structures emerging here and there from the tropical vegetation in an atmosphere reminiscent of Colombia’s pre-Columbian “Lost City”.
On finally rounding the last bend at the top of the hill there is an impressive array of white crosses emerging from the ground. Overcome by this vision that, of course, inspires respect, you might think twice about walking through it, so retrace your steps and go left round the hill.
On the other side, on pushing back a branch that marks the end of the track, you emerge behind the same crosses, just as awesome. There is yet another field of crosses higher up on the left. This unique and disturbing place is known as the “little angels” graveyard. These aren’t the graves of unbaptised children (as found in some countries), but of children under seven whose parents had no means of paying for an official burial. No more bodies have been accepted since 2008.
• Open daily 9am–5pm, entrances on Rua General Polidoro and Rua Real Grandeza, Botafogo metro station, cemiteriosaojoaobatista.com.br
Thomas Jonglez is co-author, with Marcio Roiter and Manoel Almedia da Silva, of Secret Rio (£12.99, Jonglez Publishing)
