There are many cemeteries in the world that serve as a kind of museums. The attendance of some of them is so high that they even lead excursions. Here are ten of these famous cemeteries.
1. La Recoleta, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Many famous Argentine citizens are buried in this cemetery, and some of the tombstones have the status of historical monuments. There is also the grave of Eva Perón, the charismatic wife of Juan Perón, who twice became President of Argentina. Many visitors come to the grave of Eva Peron every year.
For the convenience of tourists, walking tours are organized at the cemetery.
2. Arlington National Cemetery, Washington DC
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This military cemetery is considered a true symbol of American patriotism. It is home to war veterans, US presidents, US Supreme Court presidents and astronauts. On a large area of the cemetery (almost 3 square kilometers) there are more than 300 thousand graves. Burial rules at Arlington Cemetery are governed by 32 CFR 553.2.
Tourists are particularly attracted by the changing of the guard ceremony at the tomb of the unknown soldier. In summer and spring, the changing of the guard takes place every half hour, and from October to March every hour.
3. Old Jewish cemetery, Prague
In this cemetery, there are no graves of especially famous people. But it is famous for its antiquity - people have been buried here since the 15th century. Over the centuries, the cemetery has become one of the largest gravestone areas in Europe.
4. Pierre-Lachaise cemetery, Paris
The Pierre-Lachaise cemetery is one of the most visited in the world. Many celebrities are buried here, including singer Edith Piaf, writer Oscar Wilde, leader of The Doors, Jim Morrison and many others. There are many trees in the old cemetery, and the graves are so crowded that it is very easy to get lost without a guide and without a map. To make it easier for visitors to navigate, special excursions are organized here.
5. Cemetery Centralfriedhof, Vienna
This is one of the largest cemeteries in Europe. On its territory, which occupies about 2.5 square kilometers, there are more than three million graves. A special bus runs constantly along the main roads of the cemetery. There is a Catholic church in the center of the cemetery.
Many famous musicians (Beethoven, Schubert, Johann Strauss) and statesmen are buried in the Centralfriedhof cemetery. There is also a symbolic tombstone of Wolfgang Mozart.
6. Sao Joao Batista Cemetery, Rio de Janeiro
The first burial in the Sao Joao Batista cemetery took place on December 4, 1852. It was a little girl, Rosaura, who was only four years old. Today the cemetery has grown very much, and many celebrities have found their last rest there. There are so many famous graves here that the cemetery has even received the nickname - "cemetery of stars".
7. Highgate Cemetery, London
There are a lot of gravestones in the cemetery, made in the Gothic style, which gives it a special gloom. The horror films Taste of Dracula's Blood and From Beyond the Grave were filmed in this natural, ominous setting. Ghosts have been seen at the cemetery more than once, and in March 1970, the case took such a serious turn that a real raid on vampires was even organized, and the police had to work hard not to let the riotous crowd of "ghost hunters" into the cemetery.
Today, special excursions are conducted to the most famous graves and those places where ghosts are especially often seen.
8. Greyfriars Cemetery, Edinburgh
The cemetery is located in the historic part of the city next to the Greyfriars Church. The cemetery is very old - it was formed in 1561. But the world fame was brought to him by a small Skye Terrier named Bobby. For 14 years he never left the grave of his beloved master, and after his death he was even honored to be buried at the gates of the cemetery. It was impossible to bury the animal next to the owner, since the ground of the cemetery was lit.
Ghosts are also often seen in this cemetery. Of particular concern is the grave of the lawyer George Mackenzie, who was buried in the cemetery in 1691. From 1990 to 2006, over 350 people reported being attacked by a ghost. Moreover, people showed bruises, scratches and even bites. There was even a special television program dedicated to these events.
9. Prazeres cemetery, Lisbon
The cemetery is located at the terminus of tram number 28, which follows a very popular route among tourists. Therefore, most tourists end their sightseeing in the capital of Portugal with a tour of the cemetery. The word Prazeres (Prazeres) is translated from Portuguese as "pleasure". But no one tried to put any particularly gloomy meaning in the name of the cemetery. It's just named the same as the area in which it is located.
The cemetery is located at the top of a hill with a beautiful view of the 25 de Abril bridge.
10. City of the Dead, Cairo
This cemetery is amazing not only for its gravestones, but also for the fact that almost more people live on its territory than rest in the ground. People have lived and died here for almost a thousand years, and the graves of the dead literally coexist with the huts and benches of the living. Of course, only the poorest part of the population of Cairo lives in such inappropriate conditions.