Travel with us!
Beyond Voyage
  • Home
  • Blog
  • Destinations
  • Gallery
  • Pack
  • Tunes
  • About

Halloween Special: Cemeteries Around The World

10/31/2014

0 Comments

 
Since it's Halloween, I thought it only appropriate to write about those spookier attractions when traveling: cemeteries. Often overlooked by travelers, cemeteries offer a unique perspective on a destination's history and culture.  Burial grounds not only honor those individuals who shaped a country, but they often physically represent an era, whether tragic (Old Jewish Cemetery of Prague), visionary (Mount Auburn Cemetery of Cambridge), or iconic ( St. Peter's Cemetery of Salzburg). Here are five cemeteries that left a lasting impression on me: 
1. La Recoleta Cemetery, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Nestled in the heart of Buenos Aires' most chic neighborhood, this exclusive cemetery is the final resting place of Argentina's elite, including Eva Duarte Perón (Evita). The intricately designed mausoleums are situated across from one another on narrow streets, making this burial ground a grand city of the dead. Many tombs have pictures of the interred in their prime displayed near the door, which give visitors a glimpse of the spirits behind the tomb walls.
Picture
[Pictured Above]  A typical street in La Recoleta Cemetery.  Usually, there is not a super tall American named Chris standing around giving you the stink-eye:)

2. Old Jewish Cemetery, Prague, Czech Republic
Prague's Old Jewish Cemetery is a stark contrast to Buenos Aires' luxurious city of the dead. This cemetery's tragic story is evident upon first glance.  Even before the Nazis occupied Prague, Jews were restricted to a specific area of the city. This included their burial grounds. In Jewish custom, the dead must be buried right away, and cremation is not permitted. Since they were given such little land for a cemetery, they had to bury people on top of each other. Experts suspect over 100,000 people have been buried on this tiny plot of land that spans just one city block. You can read more about our visit to Prague's Jewish quarter here. 
Picture


3. The Necropolis of St. Peter's, Vatican City, Italy
One cannot talk about burial grounds without mentioning one of the world's most famous underground cemetery. Located under St. Peter's Basilica, the Necropolis was once an ancient above-ground cemetery filled with tombs and mausoleums of wealthy Roman families. When St. Peter's tomb was discovered underneath an ancient Roman family mausoleum, Emperor Constantine filled in the Necropolis in order to build a church over Peter's final place of rest. In order to see this subterranean burial ground you must contact the Vatican and book a tour well in advance of your visit. It's worth it. Read more about our Necropolis experience here. 
Picture
Below these floors lie many tombs, including those of famous popes, roman families and St. Peter himself. 

4. Mount Auburn Cemetery, Cambridge, Massachusetts
I recently discovered Mount Auburn Cemetery after a trip to my local grocery store in Cambridge. It's well hidden among every day life in Cambridge - shops, buses and ivy covered brick apartments are right outside the long fence hiding this magnificent cemetery. When I walked through the main gate, the city melted away and I was immediately transported to a land from a storybook. Founded in 1831, Mount Auburn Cemetery was the first landscaped cemetery open to the public in the USA and is credited as the beginning of the American public parks and gardens movement. It is the final resting place of many historically significant people including Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Winslow Homer and Isabella Stuart Gardner. The gardens are impeccable, the wildlife (particularly birds) are abundant and the setting is so peaceful that the living often temporarily rest, alongside the permanent residents. 
Picture
Picture
Picture
5. St. Peter's Cemetery, Salzburg, Austria 
This charming cemetery became famous around the world thanks to Hollywood. It is the cemetery where the family Von Trapp hid from the Nazis in The Sound of Music. Although the movie scene was filmed in a Hollywood studio, it was inspired by the gated section of the actual cemetery. Two other fun facts about this cemetery: It is home to Mozart's sister Maria Ann and all plots are rented. Therefore families of the dead must pay rent on the lot every 10 years, or the body is removed and the plot is rented to someone else.  
Picture
Recognize those gates? They are the inspiration for the fleeing scene in the Sound of Music.
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Picture

    Author

    Eva has been traveling for 15+ years, including an 8 month journey around the world.  

    Archives

    October 2016
    May 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013

    Picture

    Categories

    All
    Amalfi Coast
    Amazon Rainforest
    Amsterdam
    Argentina
    Art
    Aruba
    Asia
    Austin
    Australia
    Austria
    Award
    Baby
    Bali
    Barcelona
    Beijing
    Belize
    Berlin
    Bogota
    Boston
    Brazil
    BVI
    California
    Cambodia
    Cambridge
    Canada
    Cape Town
    Caribbean
    Cartagena
    Central America
    China
    Colombia
    Connecticut
    Costa Rica
    Cuba
    Culinary Delights
    Cusco
    Europe
    Family
    Family Travel
    Flights
    Florence
    Florida
    Food
    France
    Germany
    Hawaii
    Hong Kong
    Hotels/resorts
    Iceland
    Indonesia
    Ireland
    Italy
    Itineraries
    Lake Titicaca
    Live Like A Local
    Luxury
    Machu Picchu
    Maine
    Malaysia
    Massachusetts
    Mexico
    Nantucket
    New England
    New York
    New Zealand
    North Carolina
    Pacific Northwest
    Pack
    Paris
    Peru
    Pisa
    Planning
    Prague
    Provence
    Puerto Rico
    Puno
    Rhode Island
    Rincon
    Rome
    Rtw Trip
    Safar
    Safari
    Shanghai
    Sharks
    South Africa
    South America
    Spain
    Switzerland
    Thailand
    Travel Education
    Travel Tips
    Tunes
    Turkey
    Usa
    Vermont
    Washington
    Where To Stay

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.