Jaro Cemetery in Iloilo - Philippines

Jaro Cemetery is a public cemetery in the municipality of Jaro. Located beside in Jaro City, the Jaro Cemetery is where the people of the town bury and mourn for their dead love ones. However, the cemetery is famous for its remarkable tombstones and mausoleum that portrays artistry at its fines.

The mausoleums and tombs in Jaro Cemetery are somewhat inspired by gothic styles. Indeed, it is one of the cemeteries in the Philippines that induce a macabre atmosphere. Religious icons have sprung up as statues guarding the dead. The haunting tombstones have weathered the test of time, but are mostly covered in leaves and moss.

The mausoleums are the main attraction in Jaro Cemetery. The statues are gothic-inspired, and so are the exteriors. By simply looking at the outward structure, one can notice the craftsmanship involved in making the statues and the mausoleums. One can also notice the remarkable details of the structures, such as the intricate designs of the mausoleum walls and the expressions of the statues.

The statues that are guarding the dead are often derived from religious icons. Since Jaro Cemetery is primarily a Catholic cemetery, one can notice the Catholic concepts of religious figures, such as Christ and the Virgin Mary. Aside from those religious icons, there are also angels that are guarding the tombs and the mausoleums.

Jaro Cemetery is once a place of rest for the rich families not only in Jaro, but in Iloilo. When the city was established in the 19h century, it became necessary to assign a plot of land as a place of grievance and burial for the citys dead. The plot of land served a cemetery for both rich and poor. The mausoleums were obviously built for the dead loved ones of rich and influential families in Jaro, while tombstones were made for the poor. And as Jaro was once the wealthiest city outside of Luzon, the immense wealth of the families was manifested on their respective family mausoleums. Here, the intricate designs of symbols and statues displayed not only their religious beliefs but their status in society as well. All in all, the Jaro Cemetery is one of the surviving proofs of the Spanish colonial period and the countrys predominant Catholic heritage.

Since the Jaro Cemetery is a public cemetery, there is no required entrance fee to look at the astounding mausoleums and statues. The costs may only include the transportation fare needed to reach the town and the cemetery.

To get to the Jaro Cemetery, one can take a taxi ride going to Jaro from the Iloilo seaport. For a cheaper alternative, one can walk to the Iloilo main road and look for the passing jeepneys with Jaro as a sign. From the city proper of Jaro, one can take a tricycle towards the Jaro Cemetery.