Located on the east side of the Nerio Promontory, the cemetery rejoins Nature, right where the earth, sea and sky have always come together. Go down the path on your left to find one of Galicia’s most celebrated works of architecture. The ria of Cee and Corcubión, the Mount Pindo (2 057 feet), the Barbanza peninsula and the long, sandy beach of Carnota are in front of you in all their glory.
The architect César Portela’s starting point was the classical idea of an uncluttered graveyard, adapted to the terrain’s surface, and without isolating walls. There are 14 granite cubes (168 niches) overlooking the sea from the cliff. There is also a chapel and an autopsy room. These constructions are scattered randomly and located on the roads running through the hillside.
The symbolism is obvious. In the place that marks "the end of the earth" stands the resting place of the end of a life. It is a place created with the interlude of earthly life and heavenly life in mind. Central to the idea of this cemetery is the last light of the day at Cape Finisterre. It faces south, using the sunset to its advantage, bathing in the beautiful dawn’s light.
It is one of the highlights of the list of 50 cemeteries included in the European Cemeteries Route, the only one in Galicia. Since it was built in 1998, no one has been buried there.