The funeral heritage and its management. Defining aspects for an average city

Abstract

Cemeteries and their proper management as cultural property is the central issue discussed in this article. The issue acquires relevance because the cemetery dimension of cities has been reconceptualized in the heritage field in recent decades, especially due to the pandemics that have devastated us in the twenty-first century. Initially, we establish a referential framework that lets us know how explored this topic is inside and outside Mexico. Subsequently, a panoramic view of funerary heritage status in Europe and Latin America is presented. In this regard, monographic sources are a basic element to identify, in historically specific spaces, the main factors to value them and, at the same time, how to protect them. Then, we venture into a more ethnographic work: the Municipal Pantheon of the City of Pachuca de Soto is analyzed, as well as its physiognomy and dynamics, the possibilities of safeguarding, and its valuation as an asset. The methodology used includes interviews with users and expert informants and the collection of observation guides. The conclusions indicate that the case analyzed manifests elements common to many medium-sized cities and large metropolises, presenting aspects that complicate their heritage management. In its disclaimer and comparison with other cemeteries, certain advances about its protection and valuation as funerary heritage are noted.