Santa Maria Magdalena de Pazzis Cemetery

Santa Maria Magdalena de Pazzis Cemetery is a colonial-era cemetery located in Old San Juan and it is the final resting place of many of Puerto Rico's most prominent natives and residents. It was named in honor of Saint Maria Magdalena de Pazzi. The cemetery itself is located outside the walls of Fort San Felipe del Morro, one of the island's most famous landmarks. The colonial Spanish government at the time construction of the cemetery commenced, viewed death with fear because it was a mystery. Therefore, they decided to build the cemetery to overlook the Atlantic Ocean to symbolize the spirit's journey to cross over to the afterlife. Some of the most prominent natives include:

• Pedro Albizu Campos

• was a Puerto Rican attorney and politician and was the leading figure in the Puerto Rican independence movement. He spoke six languages and had the highest grade point average in his law class during his time in Harvard Law School. He was also the president and spokesperson of the Puerto Rican Nationalist Party from 1930 until his death in 1965 and was hailed as El Maestro, or The Teacher.

• Alejandro Tapia y Rivera

• was a Puerto Rican poet, dramaturg, essayist and writer and was considered to be the father of Puerto Rican literature. He w as also considered to be the person who has contributed the most to the cultural advancement of Puerto Rico's literature. He was also an abolitionist and a women's rights advocate. 

• José Julián Acosta

• was a journalist and an advocate of the abolition of slavery in Puerto Rico. He was recognized through his work, since it conveyed messages that he wanted to communicate, primarily the abolition of slavery. He was harshly mistreated by the Spanish governor and was imprisoned since he was suspected of being a conspirator. He wrote a pamphlet called "Horas de Prisión", or Hours of Imprisonment" describing his experiences in prison.

• José Gautier Benítez

• was a Puerto Rican poet of the Romantic Era who was part of the Liberal Reformist Party. In 1878, he became co-founder of the Puerto Rican Review and wrote his first poem "A Puerto Rico" (To Puerto Rico) and was highly acclaimed by his contemporaries as one of his greatest works. 

• José de Diego

  

• was a statesman, journalist, poet, and advocate for Puerto Rico's independence from Spain and the United States. He was referred to by his peers as "The Father of the Puerto Rican Independence Movement". He founded the Autonomist Party, Luis Muñoz Rivera and Roseando Matienzo Cintrón also being members of the party.