There is something about the Panteon de Belen cemetery in Guadalajara, Mexico that simply takes your breath away. This old graveyard turned museum is a unique attraction and comes with a few old legends and folk tales that have drawn in curious residents and tourists to see if they could actually be true.

The Bel?n cemetery was built in 1848 by brilliant architect Manual Gomez Ibarra who also undertook the rebuilding of the Guadalajara Cathedral towers after the originals were destroyed in a massive earthquake in 1985. The Panteon de Belen served as the cemetery for the Old Civil Hospital which to this day still remains (reconstructed of course) and sits right next to the Panteon de Belen.

 Even well after the cemetery closed in 1896, this beautiful landmark is a sight to behold and is truly a magnificent work of art. Upon entering, you?ll be amazed to find a long mausoleum wall on either side of the main entrance. The 100 mausoleum arches which decorate the corridors are painted in a bright and cheerful orange color.  They are a welcoming contrast to the somber surroundings and only add to the beauty of the grey and weathered tombs that adorn the cemetery grounds.

The original layout of the cemetery consisted of 2 sections known as ?patios?, a section for the rich which still remains today and a section for the poor. Unfortunately, the second section for the poor was demolished in 1967, supposedly due to unrecognizable grave markers. The Specialty Tower for the Old Civil Hospital now stands where the second patio used to be.

While walking through the peaceful grounds, the tour guide

will recant the rich history of the Panteon de Belen. They will tell you of the great legends that have made Belen cemetery quite famous throughout the state of Jalisco and all of Mexico for that matter. (Tours in English are available for larger groups if scheduled ahead of time.)

The legends included are those like the Legend of the Vampire or El Vampiro, who stalked the citizens of Guadalajara and lies entombed under a giant tree in the cemetery. The legend says that if a branch is broken instead of sap you will see blood trickling down, the blood of all the innocent victims. In the past, a large number of visitors tried to break the branches to see if the legend was true. The tree was on the verge of dying from all the damage so a fence had to be built around it for protection. According to the legend, if the tree dies the vampire will be released!

There is also the legend of a young and terminal cancer patient who was treated at the Old Civil Hospital and sadly took his own life in the Panteon de Belen in a gruesome way.

These are just a few among many others this popular attraction provides, and to add to your experience they offer night tours as well. You will be carefully guided through the cemetery in pitch black night with only your flashlight to guide you. I have heard the night tours are especially fun and come highly recommended. To really enjoy the experience you might want to visit during the day first to see everything and then take the tour at night. Let us see if you can catch a glimpse of any spirits!

Make the Belen cemetery (Panteon de Belen) one of the first ?top things to do? on your list when you are in Guadalajara, Mexico.

For more information on the Belen Cemetery please see

http://www.explore-guadalajara.com/panteondebelen.html