
In the small Spanish town of Lanjarón, located in Andalusia's Granada province, dying has been officially illegal for over 26 years. This unusual regulation, enacted in 1999, remains in effect today and has recently sparked renewed interest on social media as the town gains popularity as a tourist destination.
The "death ban" was introduced by then-mayor Jose Rubio when the town's only cemetery reached full capacity. The law urged residents to take care of their health and avoid dying until the government could secure additional burial grounds. The decree explicitly prohibited residents from passing away within Lanjarón's borders.
Despite the passing years, the town still operates with its single small cemetery. Interestingly, Lanjarón has become a tourist hotspot in recent years due to its mineral-rich hot springs, further highlighting the unusual law.
Lanjarón isn't the only place in the world to outlaw death. Longyearbyen in Norway also issued a similar prohibition. This measure was enacted because bodies buried in the region's permafrost remain preserved, posing unique challenges. Researchers have even extracted live virus samples, such as the 1917 influenza, from these bodies. To prevent potential outbreaks, the government banned local burials.
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