Favorite European cemeteries?
Sep 1st, 2015, 06:38 AM
#22
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Thanks, all! And keep 'em coming, I'm archiving all of this. (Another time, I'll start working on US cemeteries).
(FWIW, I know quite well that Jim's not alone in Pere LaChaise - just thought singling him out might prime the posting pump. It worked.)
(FWIW, I know quite well that Jim's not alone in Pere LaChaise - just thought singling him out might prime the posting pump. It worked.)
Sep 1st, 2015, 09:22 AM
#25
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I took an almost 4 hour tour of Pere Lachaise while I was in Paris at the beginning of August. In my many trips to Paris, I had never been there and it was #1 on my hit list for my recent trip. The tours are only in French, but, if your French is good, I recommend you check out the tour. There are guides to Paris called Pariscope and La Semaine a Paris that I always pick up when I am there. They list everything going on. The walking tours in French are in the back. Unfortunately, none of them are offered in English. I always try and do at least one. I did a Moliere themed one as well. The guides are always excellent. The guy who does Pere Lachaise specializes in cemeteries--and he does know everything about the cemetery. Really interesting, but exhausting tour. I was almost ready for a coffin by the end.
Sep 1st, 2015, 12:32 PM
#26
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It is odd we have visited many European countries, some many times and we do not visit many cemeteries. Or we have they just did not make an impression. That said the most memorable were Pere Lachaise, Montparnasse, and the Jewish Cemetery in Prague.
Sep 1st, 2015, 01:39 PM
#27
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Two more: Greyfriars Kirkyard in Edinburgh with its fascinating monuments and gravestones--a gloomy place even on a sunny day. Also St Giles, Stoke Poges, a simple country churchyard with no notable graves but famous nonetheless.
Sep 1st, 2015, 01:40 PM
#28
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I sometimes enjoy a wander around an old English churchyard to look at the graves.
Occasionally I find an interesting graveyard in the Netherlands, but not often since space is in short supply and graves are cleared and reused.
I have visited the American cemetery in Margraten, and the Russian cemetery in Leusden.
I have visited small old graveyards in towns and villages in the U.S. too.
Never been to any famous ones. No desire to see where Jim or Karl or Elvis or Marilyn or Kurt is buried.
Occasionally I find an interesting graveyard in the Netherlands, but not often since space is in short supply and graves are cleared and reused.
I have visited the American cemetery in Margraten, and the Russian cemetery in Leusden.
I have visited small old graveyards in towns and villages in the U.S. too.
Never been to any famous ones. No desire to see where Jim or Karl or Elvis or Marilyn or Kurt is buried.
Sep 4th, 2015, 01:50 AM
#31
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The Camposanto in the Piazza degli Miracoli (next to the Leaning Tower) in Pisa, is amazing.
I think Bilbo is referring to the Cimetero Monumentale in Milan. Our friends who live there told us we shouldn't miss it, but we did.
In Hallstatt, after visiting the cemetery, visit the little ossuary chapel where they stored the bones of corpses they had to exhume when the cemetery ran out of space. The skulls are decorated with a cross, and often the name and date of death. Some are more elaborately decorated.
I was very impressed by the little cemetery on the Island of Iona where monks have been buried since the 9th century. It was also the burial spot for many Scots, Irish, and Norwegian kings, although none of their graves can be identified now. The lonely windblown spot, the beauty and tranquility of the surroundings, and the decaying gravestones were very moving. There was an inscription inside the abbey, quoting (I think) St. Columba as saying that "on this earth there's no better place to live or die than Iona."
I think Bilbo is referring to the Cimetero Monumentale in Milan. Our friends who live there told us we shouldn't miss it, but we did.
In Hallstatt, after visiting the cemetery, visit the little ossuary chapel where they stored the bones of corpses they had to exhume when the cemetery ran out of space. The skulls are decorated with a cross, and often the name and date of death. Some are more elaborately decorated.
I was very impressed by the little cemetery on the Island of Iona where monks have been buried since the 9th century. It was also the burial spot for many Scots, Irish, and Norwegian kings, although none of their graves can be identified now. The lonely windblown spot, the beauty and tranquility of the surroundings, and the decaying gravestones were very moving. There was an inscription inside the abbey, quoting (I think) St. Columba as saying that "on this earth there's no better place to live or die than Iona."
Sep 4th, 2015, 08:28 AM
#33
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Glad Herrnhut was mentioned (thanks to Weisser Tee) - it was just voted No 1 of the 'most fascinating historic cemeteries in Germany'.
http://www.faszination-friedhof.de/inhalt/sieger
(in German only)
http://www.faszination-friedhof.de/inhalt/sieger
(in German only)
Sep 4th, 2015, 11:26 AM
#35
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Brompton Cemetery in London I found very fascinating.
It's one of 7 officially deemed 'historic London cemeteries':
https://www.royalparks.org.uk/parks/brompton-cemetery
It's one of 7 officially deemed 'historic London cemeteries':
https://www.royalparks.org.uk/parks/brompton-cemetery
Sep 5th, 2015, 02:53 PM
#36
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Don't just visit the Jewish cemetery in Prague. There is another very interesting cemetery high up on a hill--Vysehrad Cemetary.
And, you'll probably be interested in this website dedicated to traveling to interesting cemeteries. You'll find lots of ideas.
http://cemeterytravel.com/2012/05/09...hrad-cemetery/
And, you'll probably be interested in this website dedicated to traveling to interesting cemeteries. You'll find lots of ideas.
http://cemeterytravel.com/2012/05/09...hrad-cemetery/
Sep 5th, 2015, 05:30 PM
#37
I like Isola di San Michele, Venice. So near yet so far-seeming, quiet when the rest isn't so much, the boat ride over. I find it very romantic.
http://sleepinggardens.blogspot.com/...le-venice.html
http://sleepinggardens.blogspot.com/...le-venice.html
Sep 5th, 2015, 08:00 PM
#39
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Tulip: I've been to Kensall Green Cemetery.
I mentioned it on my first poorly typed post on this thread. It was a longish trip from whichever tourist neighborhood we were staying in at the time in London. Underground and then over ground train. NO tourists on the second train, or even at the station.
I was sort of disappointed. I was on a literary pilgrimage to find Anthony Trollope's grave, which was very hard to find, even though I had directions and a picture. The cemetery wasn't that interesting, nothing to compare to even the "new" portions of Highgate.
If I remember correctly, there was a hill with views of Wormwood Scrubs and some gasworks.
While we were there, the police came through twice looking for a mugger. They questioned us both times and the second time they had the victim in the car with them.
It was memorable but not for the monuments.
_____________________________
I nearly forgot an incredibly beautiful cemetery that I would urge anyone to visit: St Just in Roseland, in Cornwall, England.
It's a parish churchyard, but in a charming setting, elaborately pathed, with lovely gardens and pretty monuments. So nice, I would go back.
I mentioned it on my first poorly typed post on this thread. It was a longish trip from whichever tourist neighborhood we were staying in at the time in London. Underground and then over ground train. NO tourists on the second train, or even at the station.
I was sort of disappointed. I was on a literary pilgrimage to find Anthony Trollope's grave, which was very hard to find, even though I had directions and a picture. The cemetery wasn't that interesting, nothing to compare to even the "new" portions of Highgate.
If I remember correctly, there was a hill with views of Wormwood Scrubs and some gasworks.
While we were there, the police came through twice looking for a mugger. They questioned us both times and the second time they had the victim in the car with them.
It was memorable but not for the monuments.
_____________________________
I nearly forgot an incredibly beautiful cemetery that I would urge anyone to visit: St Just in Roseland, in Cornwall, England.
It's a parish churchyard, but in a charming setting, elaborately pathed, with lovely gardens and pretty monuments. So nice, I would go back.
Sep 5th, 2015, 08:50 PM
#40
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The Holy Sands in Worms is well worth a visit.
The medieval Jewish cemetery in Frankfurt still has a few 1000 of their original gravestones that survived being demolished by the nazis. This is quite an old cemetery dating back to 1272, and it is surrounded by the Jewish Holocaust Remembrance Wall.
The main cemetery in Frankfurt is very beautiful and at 172 acres, it is the larges cemetery complex in Germany. Gorgeous sculptures, a 120 m. Crypt Hall, magnificent mausoleums and the setting is like a park. It includes 2 large Jewish sections, one used from 1828-1929, and a newer one being used presently. In the older Jewish section, you will find the graves of the Rothschilds, Paul Ehrlich, Daniel Oppenheim, war graves from Jewish soldiers who died in WWI, Bertha Poppenheim, and Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch to name just a few.
In the main cemetery itself, one of the more touching spots is the small section where the children of American military members were buried.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GIxYQELl33I
The medieval Jewish cemetery in Frankfurt still has a few 1000 of their original gravestones that survived being demolished by the nazis. This is quite an old cemetery dating back to 1272, and it is surrounded by the Jewish Holocaust Remembrance Wall.
The main cemetery in Frankfurt is very beautiful and at 172 acres, it is the larges cemetery complex in Germany. Gorgeous sculptures, a 120 m. Crypt Hall, magnificent mausoleums and the setting is like a park. It includes 2 large Jewish sections, one used from 1828-1929, and a newer one being used presently. In the older Jewish section, you will find the graves of the Rothschilds, Paul Ehrlich, Daniel Oppenheim, war graves from Jewish soldiers who died in WWI, Bertha Poppenheim, and Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch to name just a few.
In the main cemetery itself, one of the more touching spots is the small section where the children of American military members were buried.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GIxYQELl33I
