Things to do in Puerto Rico, Puerto Rico: The Best Cemeteries

Puerto Rico National Cemetery became a national cemetery on July 12, 1948. This is the only national cemetery outside of the United States.The cemetery serves over 150,000 veterans in Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands, the Caribbean Region, and Central and South America. Situated on 108.2 acres of which 77.31 are being developed or have been developed, the cemetery accommodates casketed and cremated remains. Over 1,600 burials are conducted each year or about six per weekday. It has the only Memorial Program Service Marker Processing Center site located in a national cemetery and outside of the United States. In 1962, the remains of those interred on all other five military cemeteries on the island were transferred here.

A seaside cemetery where a number of notable Puerto Ricans rest.

Roman Baldorioty de Castro National Pantheon, also known as Cementerio Antiguo de Ponce, is Ponce's oldest cemetery-turned-museum. With over a hundred years of history since its inauguration in 1842, it was converted into an official pantheon in 1991. This famous burial place is considered Puerto Rico's only National Pantheon, as well as the only cemetery made into a museum in the Caribbean. As the name leads on, the remains of the famous politician Baldorioty de Castro are located here, as well as those of other illustrious people.

Ponce is home to The Tibes Indigenous Ceremonial Center, an ancient Taino village. It was initially discovered by a charcoal maker from the area, when a large flood in 1975 uncovered the buried remains--which were later shown to be a group of ceremonial plazas and ball fields. Some researchers suggest that, because of their placements, the plazas might have also been used as astral observatories. The largest indigenous cemetery, containing 186 skeletons, was also found. This site is considered to be one of the most important historical and archeological sites in the Antilles.

The Cementerio Municipal de Salinas is considered a cultural feature and it counts with 801 memorials.

Saint Vincent de Paul Catholic Cemetery is a historic burying site in the city of Ponce. It is the only cemetery in Puerto Rico to have a group of basement-like sturctures that look similar to catacombs. During its early years, many of the area's wealthy families built ornate tombs and mausoleums that stand out from the rest. It is strictly Catholic, and will not bury someone if they are of another belief.

The municipal cemetery of Trujillo Alto is a resting place for the deceased located in the grassy hills of Trujillo Alto. They have a chapel for religious rituals concerning the farewell of loved ones and also provide services for graves, cemeteries, burial chambers and others.