Pablo Emilio Escobar’s grave is certainly a site of interest for those visiting Medellin though curiously it was not listed in Lonely Planet’s 2006 Colombia guidebook.
The tourism industry in Medellin and Colombia, in general, is still in its infancy, so it currently falls upon the intrepid traveler to track down sites of interest.
The grave of the infamous and ruthless Medellin Cartel leader rests in an idyllic setting at Cemetario Jardins Montesacro in Itagüí.
He was shot and killed by police while trying to escape on the rooftop of a safe house on December 2, 1993.
On one of Medellin’s typically beautiful, warm and sunny days, I took the metro to Itagui and asked a cab driver to take me to Pablo Escobar’s grave.
Along the way, though he spoke little English, the driver was able to communicate his father worked for Pablo Escobar and made a lot of money.
The cemetery looked pleasant, and the driver walked me to the Escobar family grave that was clearly well maintained. The Don is buried along with his parents and a few children.
A Colombian couple was there though I couldn’t tell if they were curious like me or paying their respects. Maybe both.
Pablo Escobar was something of a Robin Hood, using his drug money to build homes for the poor and employ them as well.
Judging from the uptake of his grave, complete with fresh flowers, he is still revered by some in the region.
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Pablo Escobar Historical Tour
To learn more about Escobar during your visit to Medellín, sign up for a half-day tour with Latin Hosts Medellín. Historical points of interest include the Monaco Building where the Cali Cartel tried to kill him, his last safe house where security forces did kill him and his family grave.
I don’t know if you noticed, but on the other side of the church from the grave of Escobar is a snack shop, the only one I have ever seen in a cemetery. When I first visited him grave in 2007, it was inundated by tourists that day, my last visit was july of 09 and I was the only person there. The grave was not as well kept up as it used to be, there were far more flowers there back in 2007.
Hi Dan,
Interesting observation about the snack shop by Escobar’s grave. I don’t remember it, but I can see how as more time passes, fewer Colombians are concerned with the guy. Much better that they look ahead toward a prosperous, peaceful future.
Hi Dave,
Most people don’t notice it as the snack shop is on the other side of the church in the back. When I was at my former novia’s house in Manrique, I visited a few homes there and they still had photos of Escobar on the wall, almost like a shrine to him. Unfortunately the violence is getting worse again, when I left Medellin in August of 2009, it was no longer safe for me to visit Manrique, there were almost daily shootings in that area due to the drug gangs fighting for control of that barrio. But in spite of this, I still can’t wait to return to Medellin again this year for a month. I really have enjoyed your blog, brings back a lot of memories.
Pablo Escobar was the bigger capo in Medellin and the world. he was a good person because he helped to the poor people. he was called robin hood but he sometimes was bad person because the bad guys looking forward him to kill him. so he had to defend his life. he is a big symbol en Medellin because all the people wanted him and respect .i think that he was a good person but the violence damaged his life.
Yeah a real good person, build some homes, a school and some other things (which when your making $22b dollars a year is pocket change) and you can sell poison, murder thousands of people and get rich doing it. He was a drug trafficker and a terrorist how can anyone say he was good!?!?
He was the best
RiP
PABLO
Oh yeah, definitely a good person, such as when he blew up that plane, or ordered the bomb outside the shopping mall in Bogotá, killing dozens, including children.
Having read several books about Escobar (and remembering that he was a dangerous guy and not someone who we shoukd in anyway look up to) I was nevertheless interested to visit his grave and did so 2 years ago.
He was a real hero to many in the local areas there. I talked to some of the locals and they loved him.
I think Pablo was a very generous person, those that did evil to him, he repaid them with an eye for an eye. I respect the man for his good doings, i think if columbia would have kept there hands clean and away from the American government everything would’ve all turnout better. Look at the war on drugs in the US, nothing has changed. in fact drugs are just more intelligent in the way they are smuggled into the US. The war on drugs is a war that has no end , just like the war on terror that that Clown e presisdent GW Bush declared, what an idiot. Until next time we speak Escobar family keep your head up.
Pablo Escobar was nothing but a criminal. he may have been generous with the poor people but just to get power. Colombia has its drugs and guns reputation because of this bastard. I don’t think he’s a hero, and many colombians think the way I do. This place may be interesting to tourists, but it’s got to be said he’s not important because of his courage and generosity with the lower class. You, the tourist, gotta know he was not a hero, he was one of the most wanted criminals in the entire world! i’m from Medellin, and I don’t feel proud knowing that there’s people who agree with what he’s done… Medellin is way too beautiful to have people like that as “heroes”.
Hola Paula,
Thanks for reading, and sharing your thoughts. I feel the same way you do. It was a tragic chapter in time for the city and Colombian people.
Why are you such a hypocrite. Your visiting his grave, then you agree with pola or Paula. Why go to his grave. Why even talk about him, if you don’t like Pablo.
I don’t consider myself a hypocrite for wanting to learn about the history of a man who nearly destroyed Colombian society while at the same time becoming a billionaire by supplying my country (the U.S.) with illegal drugs.
Hi Dave,
I am considering travel to the city and also to his grave…any tips or travel suggestions you can provide would be post helpful!
Thank you,
*most helpful
?????????????????????????? but Pablo was not the first to start all this in Medellin. There was always drugs violence and all that, in Colombia. It’s just that he was world known, as the King of Coke, and all the attention was focused on him that’s all. There was the Ochoa family, and many more families with drug labs. But anyway everyone has different thoughts and opinions. Thanks Aprilia
The Colombian series “Escobar: Patron del Mal” does a good job of showing the other major players in the Medellín Cartel. It’s currently available on Netflix.
The controversial opinions on the don Pablo the boss of all is nothing but individual opinion about his life and the legacy he left behind,in such impoverished Medellin at the time ,most poor would embrace his generosity ,the respect ,love and affection bestowed even after his demise is a sign of gratitude for his contribution to the ordinary neglected man on the street of Medellin .though he was a brutal killer but remember he followed the principle of demand and supply without which no chain of prosperous production.
first of all im from Medellin born there , now living in miami for the last 12 years left medellin when i was 14 raised in the violence this individual created,.
And let me tell the tourist you will never knw what it is to listen to gun shots every day, to what we callled CAIS blowing in every corner, to be walking and seeing a 2 stoke motorcycle approaching you and thinking “thats it im dead”, to have to go to school and every 2 steps you take you look over your shoulder just to see who’s coming behind you, this feeling created a insecure person like me which even been in this countryfor 12 years i still turned around when i heard the sound of a motorcycle coming.
And im pretty sure im not the only one with this problem, there should be many kids now adults suffering from the same issue, this is the reason why this individual and all his movies only brings bad memories and sadness to all of us who were there on those hard times.
I know this comment comes very late in this conversation, but I do have to give my two cents regarding the opinions about Escobar and the drug trade.
Historically speaking, although Escobar committed heinous acts in callously murdering and extorting people, what he did actually helped shape the economy of Colombia and even areas like Miami and New York.
Miami wouldn’t be the epicenter it is with skyscrapers and tourism if it wasn’t for the funneling of drug money into private investment banks and other businesses that ultimately helped in making Miami what it is today.
The same goes for Medellin, Escobar contributed a lot to the poor communities and the local economy of the city.
In addition, Medellin was not known by many around the world until Escobar came into the scene.
Now it is one of the most successful cities in South America, the most innovative city in the world, and maybe the fastest growing area in Colombia. Many people suffered and yes my family did too.
Most of them sought political asylum due to persecution for having businesses and political ties. They too, like Santiago had to watch themselves with 4 eyes so that nothing would happen to them even if they didn’t have anything to do with the wrong-doing pulled by Escobar and drug dealers throughout Colombia.
I want to remind everyone about the Holocaust, the slave trade and slavery, and many other historical events that lead to the oppression of any area of group of people.
We learn from our mistakes as human beings and we learned our mistakes from putting people into slavery (The Americas is one of the most diverse areas of the world), killing Jews (they now have their own HOMELAND), and allowing pompous people to head drug cartels (they supported local economies, although now they have to be stopped because we have a generation of cocaine addicts).
Hi Stina,
I respect your opinion, and thanks for sharing your perspective, but I hope you’re not saying that Miami, NYC and Medellin are better off as a result of the drug money that was poured into them?
Medellin is a gorgeous city and the world would’ve learned about it regardless of whether Escobar ever existed, that I assure you. And the city and your country wouldn’t have to struggle so hard to overcome all the negative stereotypes that have existed for so long as a result of the Escobar years.
As far as I’m concerned, he brought nothing positive to this city, or Colombia. Only suffering.
Any acts of charity like giving away money to the poor people was selfish, to build his cartel, and increase his power and influence. It seems so obvious, I have a hard time seeing how anyone can see him in a positive light. He was a brutal man.
Sure, I think we all know Miami was built with ill-gotten funds, but that doesn’t justify all the illegalities, terror, murder, and other horrible things that occurred for that money to be made and then laundered through investments and real estate.
Miami might not be exactly what it is today, but I have no doubt a great city would’ve grown up there regardless.
Where did you learn that drug money helped shape the economy of New York City in any meaningful way? I’d love to read something on that topic, because it’s not something I’ve ever heard before.
David you speak as though Pablo has done nothing but bad? Well he has, but then again look at all the drug barons, in the world, that have done nothing. Absolutely nothing to help the poor. So really it’s a catch 22 situation. He has killed a lot of people, yes. But then again all around the world drug lords are killing too. You don’t hear about the
I refuse to buy into the idea that his giving to the poor was some selfless act. He was doing it to influence and manipulate the most vulnerable residents into supporting him. Full on propaganda and it continues to pay off for him more than 20 years after his death as some people still see him in a positive light.
Pablo Escobar was unique in that he took his “business” to a whole new level of violence. He was responsible for over 5,000 deaths, including police, army, politicians, judges, journalists and innocent civilians.
Don’t forget there was a time when he put a price on the head of policeman, and would pay off anyone who confirmed they murdered a police officer.
His legacy of violence lives on to the detriment of all those who call Medellín and Colombia home.
One thing that really pisses me off is when people state why a person they have never even met did something. Only Pablo knows the true reason for building the housing for the poor. NOBODY else knows for sure.
Hi David, your blog is interesting, it’s nice reading this and realizing how touris think about Medellin, I have seen some funny facts too.
For sure there’s a lot of coments about Escobar’s life… it’s an interesting issue for tourist, living in australia I could see how people are excited for coming Medellin and know about Pablo’s life.. If you are interested I recommend you to visit his house, is not located in Medellin but pretty nice place to visit, has been became in a theme park, you can learn about that history at the time you’re having fun with the atractions
Hi Natalia, thanks for reading. I visited Escobar’s old home, Hacienda Napoles, earlier this month. I’ll be writing about it in January.
Look no matter what we say, or what we do. What’s done is done. Some people hate him, some people still adore him. Happy birthday Pablo Escobar. Rip
[…] fascinating, as in I find it interesting; not that I’m a fan and want to visit his grave (a tourist destination, I’m […]
Well we have the 1st of December, here in Sydney Australia. So I don’t know why it reads, 30th December, but anyway lol ………….
Where do you see 30th December? Escobar was killed December 2, 1993 which is what I wrote in the article.
No David I meant to say or to explain it better, my end read 30th December, I didn’t say that I read it on your side. I know he was born 1st December 1949. And dies 2nd december 1993. It’s all good lol….
It’s all good ….
I have never been here but one day I will and from what he has done in the past can’t be changed. I know he has done horrible things but he also did good things to help those in need in his form of ways. I’m not defending all the bad he has done because I don’t agree with violence. But he also had to defend himself and his family for safety reasons.Nobody can say this or that about him because they were not in his shoes and clearly didn’t know what was going on through his state of mind at that moment; but that’s my opinion …… Rest in peace
PABLO EMILIO ESCOBAR GAVIRIA
People are fascinated with Pablo Escobar as they are with Adolf Hitler. Both of them should remain in the same category. I am apalled when I see people looking at anything positive that guy has done. He was an egocentric psychopath who killed innocent people when he did not get his ways. I am surprised he even has a grave. Did he give money to the poor, indeed, and we can only assume based on logic that it was politically motivated. His wife and mother should also have been prosecuted for ackowledging his deed and allowing it. They are as guilty. It points to the weak goverment of Columbia. Imagine, his bodyguard who killed hundreds of people is now free and roaming the street. What kind of world do we live in??? If it was your friend, parent or child killed by Escobar, your point of view would change. This is why we live in a world of chaos, because we see atrocities in this world and people thinking it’s ok.
Yes your right 1000000000 % ?
I just wanted to quickly add an easier way to arrive at the graveyard. If you take the metro one stop further to Sabaneta, it is around a block and a half of a walk. Much closer than the 2km from Itagui. I think it took me less than 5 minutes to walk to and from.
Thanks, Naomi. In 2009 when I initially visited and wrote the article, the metro didn’t yet go as far as Sabaneta!