For centuries, burials in Portugal were usually made inside the churches but a complex conjugation of facts and ideologies condmned this dangerous habit: After many decades of failed intentions, portuguese public cemeteries were officially created, in 1835.
Therefore, inhumations inside the churches became forbidden. However, it took many years until this law was fully accomplished: popular resistancee to outer cemeteries remained very strong and Porto was not an exception.
Nevertheless, Porto has now several kind of cemeteries: two public municipal cemeteries, a handful of public parochial cemeteries, eight private catholic cemeteries (six of it inside the municipal cemeteries), one private protestant cemetery (known as the: british cemetery) and a private catholic cemetery in catacombs (closed to burials more than a century ago).

Prado do Repouso Cemetery
This was the first public cemetery in Porto. It was established in 1839, inside a bishop's farm. Curiously, for some years this cemetery stood partially as a farm, because Porto citizens prefered private cemeteries. Only in the 1850s building of tombs became regular. Nowadays, the Prado do Repouso (which means "meadow of rest") is one of the most important Portuguese cemeteries, in terms of history and architecture.

The Agramonte Cemetery
This cemetery was established in 1855, as a consequence of a cholera epidemic. For some years this cemetery stood as a mere burial ground, without organisation. Only in the 1870's begun to receive monuments, becoming the favourite Porto cemetery at the end of the 19th century.