They Will Never Be Forgotten

In this study, I try to understand some of the symbolic aspects that have emerged from the renovations carried out at the Cristo Rei Municipal Cemetery, located on Avenida Maripá, in the city of Toledo, in the first decade of the 21st century. The renovations involved important symbolic work, since new elements were inserted into the space, while at the same time some old elements were maintained and valorised. Therefore, I chose two monuments that make up the remodelled cemetery space to base the study on, and a few other elements that recall the local pioneering spirit. The first is block 27, which is made up of burials from 1953 to 1972. During the renovation of the necropolis, "the forgotten" were honoured by having their names identified and plaques placed in the main corridor of the cemetery. The element being analysed is the "Arches of Life" - where the plaques with the names "of the forgotten" in alphabetical order are located - located in the central corridor of the cemetery. The arches represent interrupted lives, births and deaths. They are of different sizes to represent the varying longevity of each life.