A catafalque is a decorated wooden framework that supports the coffin of a distinguished person during a funeral. But the catafalque in the local church in La Torre de Esteban Hambrán, Spain is more than that. It is a most unique example of funerary art from the Baroque era. It is the only example in the world of this kind of funerary monument. This impressive piece of art is a perfect example of the Spanish Baroque style and at the same time a reminder that death awaits us all.

This incredible piece of funerary art was lost for decades. Back in 1936, it was removed from the main nave of the temple and hidden in some sort of warehouse within the church tower so that it would not be damaged during the Spanish Civil War. It was hidden so well that it was not found until 1985 when during renovation work of the Santa María Magdalena church a group of workers came across it. After some restoration work, it was finally exposed in November of 1985, resuming the tradition of only exposing it during the month of November.

The catafalque, which the local town hall claims has an unidentified author, was created in 1753 and belongs to the Brotherhood of the Holy Souls. It has a three-sided semi-hexagonal shape with a height of 5.30 meters and a length of 9.60 meters. The structure is embellished with five levels’ worth of panels of oil on canvas paintings. All of the paintings allude to death and many of them include a short, sarcastic funerary poem.