Where to find the coolest Cemeteries in the world
One of our favorite activities while traveling is to see how each culture honors their dead. We make an effort to check out the local cemeteries for a non-traditional take on tourism. Best part: it's free, it's usually quiet, beautiful, and very peaceful. It is a fascinating combination of history, anthropology, botany, culture, religion, thanatology, and parapsychology.
Kalaupapa, Hawaii Leper Colony Cemetery
We took a mule ride down a mountain in Molokai, Hawaii to visit the Kalaupapa leper colony. The people that lived there were literally confined to an island to live out their lives isolated from society. The residents were removed from their families at birth. The population was once in the thousands, but now only 7 living residents remain. You can visit the remains of the famous priest, Father Damian, and nun, Sister Marianne who were buried here and later sainted.
Green-wood Cemetery Brooklyn, New York
A cemetery high on "battlefield hill" overlooking NY. It was founded in 1838 and is now designated as a National Historic Landmark. It spans 478 acres and houses 600,000 tombs. An amazing quiet place away from the crowds and hustle and bustle of New York with ponds and large weeping willows.
Church of the Holy Rude Old Town Cemetery, Stirling, Scotland
This cemetery lies adjacent to Stirling castle. Stones date back to the 16th century. The church was known for holding baptisms and coronations of royalty like King James VI. It is absolutely beautiful, and not to be missed with its rolling hills over the church yard.
McBryde Cemetery Port Allen, Kauai, Hawaii
An ancient looking cemetery in red dirt overlooking the sea dating back to the 19th century. It was used for sugar plantation workers from Asia. It is adjacent to Glass Beach, a beach covered in sanded down glass from a neighboring glass factory.
Santa Maria Magdalena de Pazzis Cemetery in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico
This cemetery by the sea in Old San Juan is simply breathtaking. From the walk down the hill, to the tunnel entrance, to the elegant sculptures, to the blistering white stones contrasted with bright flowers and the blue sea and sky, there are so many things that make this cemetery a unique experience.
Bellefontaine Cemetery St. Louis, Missouri
Nestled along the middle section of West Florissant as it winds up and out of North St. Louis City, Bellefontaine Cemetery is a one of a kind experience for the visitor. They boast a variety of terrain, numerous species of award winning trees, numerous water features, and although we've never witnessed it, we're told, lots of wildlife. If you choose, there are still many plots available among the tombs of explorers, beer barons, and city founders of our hometown. These folks include beat author William S. Burroughs, members of the Lemp and Pabst family, and some of the Anheuser Busch family among others. They also host special events including Victorian burial reenactments by the Mourning Society and guided commentary on the diseases that prompted mass deaths. As of this writing, Chris is actively considering being buried here as he is adulting and getting his affairs in order. They are now featuring so called "green burial" where you are buried in a wicker basket with no embalming. That is available in masse on a hillside facing the MS River and also throughout the Cemetery. What I envision is my basket being brought down by 2-3 family members and doing an outdoor ceremony that includes releasing some pigeons. Hope to have a guitar-playing friend or two play some Townes Van Zandt songs or Naked as We Came by Iron and Wine. Gonna be a sad but grand affair...
Idaho Springs Cemetery in Idaho Springs, Colorado
Established in 1874 by Prospectors during the Pike's Peak country gold rush. The cemetery is high on a steep hill, placed there after their initial cemetery was washed out by a flood. Many of the graves are made of stone and the land is covered in tall weeds that are reminiscent of fields of wheat. It is located near an interesting historic mining town off of I-70.
Death Valley Junction Cemetery in Death Valley, California
This cemetery has an eerie feel to it. It is out in the middle of nowhere in the desert under the blazing sun. It is a dusty area contrasted by the beautiful mountains. One of my favorite aspects about this was that people were frequently buried with or near their pets. The area is near an old ghost mining town, so lots of interesting things to check out nearby.
This is a Civil war era cemetery with many soldiers from both sides buried here. There is a newer and older part of the cemetery. If you wind up to the top there are extraordinary mountain views of Santa Fe. There is also a small cemetery located adjacent to the cemetery that has some fascinating statues.
Unnamed - Uttar Pradesh, India
We spotted these graves along the roadside on the way to Fatehpur Sikri. the UNESCO world Heritage site. It was partially obstructed by an overgrowth of bushes and weeds. We pushed past them to reveal these interesting tombs. Our driver was reluctant to take us to this side of town saying it was "bad." It ended up being a cool site with very few people in contrast to the congested sites in Agra.
Taos Pueblo, New Mexico
Tribal cemetery in Taos Pueblo where everyone is buried next to the cathedral ruins