Green sculptures, carved in cypress bushes, adorn the corridors of the Tulcán Cemetery.

© Ecuadorpostales/Shutterstock

Cementerio de Tulcán

Top choice


Who would have thought the coolest thing you may see in Ecuador would be a cemetery? A maze of cypress trees – sculpted into bulbous, pre-Columbian totems, mythological figures, animals and geometric shapes – lines graves and mausoleums ornamented with candles and plastic flowers. Bushes and hedges take shape as they’re trimmed by the son of the original topiary master and another artist. You'll be gobsmacked.

A map of the different topiary figures is available in the tourism office, on-site.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby attractions

1. Reserva Ecológica El Ángel

8.83 MILES

The 16,000-hectare Reserva Ecológica El Ángel includes frailejones, rare, otherworldly plants with fuzzy leaves and thick trunks. From El Ángel, take the…

2. Santuario de Las Lajas

8.92 MILES

This massive neo-gothic stone church is built directly against the rocky wall of the gorge where the miraculous image appeared. A gilded painting of the…

3. Museum Las Lajas

8.92 MILES

In the lower levels of the Santuario de Las Lajas church, this museum includes exhibits on the history of Las Lajas plus some religious art.