It is that time of the year when all people ever talk about is the upcoming event of the month – Halloween. The 31st of October is the day everyone is waiting for, a day that is praising the fear and the dark side of life.
In the name of Halloween, we decided to spook you out a bit and take you to some places that most people are scared of and don’t imagine themselves spending time there. Yes, we’re talking about graveyards.
Now, as much as people don’t like to go to cemeteries, it is well known that the bodies of our dearly beloved lay there and at some point in life we should pay them respect by visiting the graveyard, often leaving a flower or something that reminds us of the departed. But some graveyards are quite often visited by people during the year, and it doesn’t mean that people are coming to visit their close relatives or friends. The motives of their visit can be of different nature, so let’s check out the most visited graveyards in the world.
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Pere-Lachaise Cemetery in Paris, France
The Pere-Lachaise Cemetery is HUGE! It is so big that people need a map to find their way through the graveyard. It is the largest cemetery in Paris, although there are even greater ones in the suburbs. It exists since 21st of May 1804, and it has an interesting story of attracting people to bury their close relatives and friends among the famous people that have already been taking part in the graveyard. But why is this cemetery visited so much by local people and tourists? Well, despite its size, this graveyard is a place where the bodies of a lot of famous people rest in peace. Jim Morrison, Oscar Wilde, Moliere, Frederic Chopin and many others are just a part of the celebrities that are attracting a lot of tourists to visit the Pere-Lachaise Cemetery. It is a home of the resting creative souls.
Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia, USA
You’ve probably seen this cemetery in many American movies, and it surely is one of a kind. The cemetery in Arlington County is a part of the Arlington National Cemetery Historic District, established on May 13, 1864. It is quite popular and often visited due to its primary motive of existence – to be the place where the dead of the nation’s conflicts beginning with the American Civil War will be buried, as well as reinterred dead from earlier wars. If you’re interested in knowing more in-depth information about this cemetery and the people that are buried there, take part in the free walking tours that are being offered.
Zentralfriedhof in Vienna, Austria
This is one of the largest cemeteries in the world, established in 1863. As weird as it may sound, this Zentralfriedhof cemetery is one of the top attractions that people plan on visiting when going to the capital of Austria. But despite its enormous size, the picturesque surroundings and the interesting facts connected to this place, there is a good reason why many people are visiting this graveyard, and it mainly has to do something with its residents. To be more exact, Schubert, Johann Strauss, Beethoven and much more are resting in peace in this famous cemetery.
Highgate Cemetery in London, England
The Highgate cemetery is known to be one of England’s greatest treasures. It is truly a spectacular mix of peace, elegant architecture and romantic profusion of trees. Due to its popularity, some parts of the cemetery even require paying some admission fee. For the west part of the cemetery, it is not even allowed to roam freely, but you must take part in a walking tour that lasts for 70 minutes. Since the early ages of its establishment, this graveyard has been visited quite a lot and despite the fact that it’s an interesting place to visit, people go to the Highgate cemetery to find the place where Karl Marx is buried. Looking for something amusing to do this Halloween? Check the special offers for guided tours on this exact day.
Forest Lawn Memorial Park in California, USA
This graveyard located in Glendale is a privately owned cemetery and is a part of a chain of six cemeteries in Southern California. Apart of the funerals and cremations that take place in this cemetery, there are also a lot of events and exhibitions organized here. And if it’s private, what makes it so famous and quite visited? Well, let’s say that among all the famous people that are buried there, the vast king of pop – Michael Jackson also rests in peace in the Forest Lawn Memorial Park, in the Great Mausoleum to be exact. And of course, a lot of fans come to visit the place where Michael Jackson rests in peace, he was and will stay a music legend.
Holy Trinity Church graveyard in Warwickshire, England
The cemetery of the Holy Trinity church in Warwickshire is a place visited by more than 200,000 tourists each year. Apart from the central matter of the existence of this graveyard, it should also be mentioned that the church and the cemetery have some stunning architectural pieces. But what it brings all the tourists in town is the fact that the Holy Trinity Church cemetery is the place of baptism and burial of the great William Shakespeare.
Forest Hill Cemetery in Tennessee, USA
Located in Memphis, Tennessee, the Forest Hill Cemetery is a place where many famous people have been buried. There’s also a website called findagrave.com where you can search for the grave of the famous people buried there. But one person is of great significance for the frequent visit of people, and that is the rock-‘n’-roll legend Elvis Presley. After his death in 1977, he was buried in a mausoleum in Forest Hill Cemetery, where a lot of people paid a visit to say goodbye and honor their favorite music star. Unfortunately, at some point, he was moved to Graceland, since there was an attempt of vandals stealing his body. How rude!
Even though this scandal had shaken up the public, it has provided the Graceland Cemetery in Chicago with fame, since 600,000 people a year still visit the legend, Elvis Presley. There are also many walking tours organized at this graveyard that give you more information on this topic.
The graveyards may not be our favorite places on Earth, and even though they are built with a particular purpose – to be the place where the bodies of the departed will peacefully rest, we must note that many of the graveyards around the world are amazing. If you’re keen on visiting places like these, then don’t miss the ones discussed above, as they are attacked by plenty of visitors every year.
