The Town Where Death Is Not Allowed

Situated 659 m supra oversea level astatine nan ft of nan Sierra Nevada successful Granada, nan colony of Lanjaron is famed for its mineral-rich h2o sources, which person agelong been believed to beforehand younker and bully health.

The municipality besides has humanities and taste significance, having attracted visitors for centuries, including nan renowned writer Federico García Lorca, who visited nan colony annually from 1917 until 1934. The group of Lanjaron are affectionately known arsenic nan Cañoneros (Gunners), a nickname that dates backmost to nan Napoleonic Wars, erstwhile locals reportedly utilized artillery to take sides their town. Ironically, hundreds of years later they were fixed a different benignant of notoriety pinch a decree issued successful 1999 that officially forbade residents from dying adding a humorous twist to their enduring estimation arsenic “undying” successful spirit.

The different prohibition was introduced by then-mayor José Rubio aft nan section cemetery reached afloat capacity and description plans were delayed. With nary abstraction near for burials, Rubio’s measurement was intended arsenic a tongue-in-cheek protestation to tie attraction to nan problem, instructing locals to “take nan basal measures to debar death.” While nan decree was satirical, it quickly became a headline-grabbing story. Lanjaron had agelong been regarded arsenic 1 of nan places pinch nan eldest organization successful Spain, making nan prohibition connected decease some ironic and striking.

At nan time, Lanjaron was known for having 1 of nan eldest populations successful Spain, which made nan announcement of a “no dying” rule each nan much ironic. In an question and reply for Euro Weekly News Marcos Simón, who has lived successful Lanjaron each his life, recalls nan disorder and vexation it caused: “The rule was invented arsenic benignant of for illustration a publicity stunt. It was very poorly done. Many of nan villagers were highly upset and disappointment because they had believed they had to find different areas wherever to hide their deceased. And moreover though it is existent that Lanjaron didn’t person overmuch abstraction successful nan cemetery astatine nan clip and nan rule was a measurement of making nosy of that, successful immoderate cases group were having to enlarge nan family tombs that they were already using. But nan ‘no dying’ norm created a batch of vexation and interest amongst nan villagers, particularly nan aged who didn’t understand it was a joke.”

His words uncover nan unintended consequences of nan decree. Families explored funeral options successful neighbouring towns aliases expanded existing tombs to hole for nan inevitable.

Lanjaron’s measurement was not wholly unique. Similar symbolic bans person been utilized elsewhere successful Europe erstwhile mini towns faced afloat cemeteries aliases shrinking populations. In France, Le Lavandou prohibited residents from dying successful 2000 to tie attraction to cemetery abstraction shortages, while Sellia successful Italy issued a akin decree successful 2015 arsenic a protestation against demographic decline. What distinguished Lanjaron’s lawsuit was its longstanding estimation for longevity, making nan prohibition some humorous and newsworthy. The decree brought attraction to a broader rumor affecting galore agrarian towns successful Spain: infrastructure challenges successful communities pinch ageing populations. The overcrowded cemetery successful Lanjaron was emblematic of really applicable problems tin quickly go taste talking points erstwhile highlighted creatively.

People travel from each complete Spain to get h2o from nan springs that are said to beryllium nan cardinal to longevity. Photo credit: Joserpizarro/Shutterstock

The cemetery shortage was yet resolved, but nan “no death” decree remains a defining anecdote successful nan town’s history. Today, it is remembered pinch a operation of amusement and humanities curiosity, a communicative that has go portion of Lanjaron’s personality alongside its celebrated waters its Balneario and yearly h2o festival. Comparisons pinch towns for illustration Le Lavandou and Sellia show that joke is often utilized by section leaders to protestation bureaucratic delays aliases tie attraction to demographic issues.

These symbolic bans are not meant to beryllium enforceable but service arsenic gestures to push authorities into action. In Lanjaron, nan decree succeeded successful making world headlines and highlighting a section problem, while besides becoming portion of nan town’s lore. As Marcos sums it up: “Now nan cemetery has abstraction and it’s been expanded astir nan gardens, but astatine nan time, galore of america were angry and anxious owed to nan uncertainty. Now, years later, we look backmost and realise it became portion of our story, and whether we for illustration it aliases not, it made Lanjaron famous.”