Buzz
Cemeteries are often overlooked, as people typically visit them only when necessary and leave promptly. However, some cemeteries are truly fascinating and deserve a closer look.
In today’s world, many feel uneasy about death and the natural process of decay. Yet, throughout history, it has been honored in ways that are charming, intriguing, and occasionally quite peculiar. Let’s explore a few examples.
10. Merry Cemetery
The Church of the Assumption in Sapanta, Northern Romania, is home to a small community of roughly 3,000 residents. Life here is often challenging, with most locals living in poverty. Despite their modest means, they are assured a unique and elaborate burial site.
Since 1935, the deceased have been laid to rest in Merry Cemetery. Each grave features a handcrafted headstone, vividly painted in a simplistic yet charming style, accompanied by a personalized poem that honors their life.
If you’re fluent in Romanian, you can stroll through the cemetery and read the inscriptions, which are written in the first person as messages from the deceased. Some poems are humorous, like Ioan Toaderu’s, which says:
One more thing I loved very much, To sit at a table in a bar Next to someone else’s wife
Others are poignant or filled with anger, such as the inscription from a three-year-old girl, addressing the taxi driver responsible for her death:
Burn in hell, you damn taxi That came from Sibiu. As large as Romania is You couldn’t find another place to stop, Only in front of my house to kill me?
If Romanian isn’t your strong suit, you can still appreciate the vibrant carvings, which occasionally illustrate how the deceased met their end in a darkly humorous way.
9. The Hanging Cemetery
For generations, the inhabitants of Sagada in the Philippines have practiced a unique burial tradition. Instead of burying their dead, they hang them to dry. The process from death to final resting is lengthy. The deceased is seated in a “death chair” inside their home, facing the entrance to “greet” visitors. The body is wrapped in rattan leaves and smoked, preserving it and eliminating the odor of decay.
The body stays in the chair for several days before moving to the next phase of its journey. Traditionally, it is arranged in a fetal position, with legs folded beneath the chin. If needed, limbs are broken to achieve this, though fewer families today are willing to follow this practice. The corpse is then wrapped in fresh rattan leaves and a blanket, carried by mourners to the cemetery. Many people volunteer as pallbearers, as it’s considered fortunate if bodily fluids seep through the leaves and touch them.
Upon reaching the cliffside cemetery, the body is placed in a coffin, typically just 1 meter (3.3 ft) wide. The coffin is then secured to the cliff face. The higher the placement, the more esteemed the individual was in the tribe. It’s believed that elevated coffins bring the deceased closer to their ancestral spirits.
Not everyone is eligible for a hanging coffin. This honor is primarily reserved for tribal elders, as the bodies of those who died young are thought to bring misfortune.
8. The Underwater Cemetery
A burial at the Neptune Memorial Reef redefines the phrase, “He sleeps with the fishes.”
Located about 5 kilometers (3 mi) off Florida’s coast, the Neptune Memorial Reef is an artificial structure situated in roughly 12 meters (40 ft) of water. Designed with classical-style statues to evoke the aura of Atlantis, it’s a haven for scuba divers. Beyond fostering marine life, the reef is also intended to house the ashes of those who wish for an oceanic resting place.
The goal is for the remains to nourish the coral and aid the reef’s growth. While uncremated remains would provide more nutrients, they are currently not allowed.
7. Cross Bones
London’s Southwark district, home to Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, was historically a rough area. It was filled with taverns and a thriving prostitution trade. In the 12th century, the bishop of Winchester had the authority to license and tax prostitutes, nicknamed “Winchester Geese” for their practice of revealing their white breasts to attract customers. The term “bitten by a Winchester Goose” referred to contracting a sexually transmitted disease.
The brothels, called “stews,” flourished despite periodic crackdowns. Eventually, the Church took control, imposing rules that required prostitutes to register, avoid working on religious holidays, and never provide services for free (likely to ensure fairness).
While the bishop was happy to tax the women, he refused to bury them in consecrated ground. A plot of unconsecrated land, officially named the Single Woman’s Churchyard but commonly known as Cross Bones Cemetery, was designated for their burials.
By the 17th century, Cross Bones became a burial ground for the poor and those who couldn’t afford proper funerals. Adding to the indignity, their bodies were often stolen by body snatchers.
In 1992, the Museum of London excavated Cross Bones, uncovering bodies stacked tightly together. Surprisingly, more than half of the remains were of children under five years old at the time of their deaths.
6. The Burial Ground of Napoleon
San Michele, an island nestled in the Venetian Lagoon, features a cemetery enclosed by towering walls yet accessible to the public. Historically, it was home to monks from the 15th century until recent times. Their monastery is notable for its dome-shaped roof and an impressive angel statue that adorns the entrance.
During Napoleon's conquest of Venice, he mandated that burials should not occur on the main island due to Venice's susceptibility to flooding, a move that underscored concerns over public health. Consequently, San Michele was established as Venice's official burial site, a role it continues to fulfill. Positioned between Venice and Murano, the island offers stunning vistas in a highly sought-after locale.
While the deceased might have anticipated eternal rest, the reality since 1995 has been different. Due to overcrowding, 'residents' of San Michele are only allotted a 10 to 20-year tenure, after which their remains are relocated to accommodate new arrivals.
5. The Graveyard of 200,000 (And One)
Okunoin Cemetery, located in Japan, is home to nearly 250,000 graves, yet it centers around a single, significant resting place. This is the tomb of Kobo Daishi, the revered founder of Shingon Buddhism and a pivotal figure in Japan's spiritual history. Legend holds that he remains in a state of perpetual meditation, awaiting the arrival of the Future Buddha.
During this wait, Kobo Daishi is believed to assist pilgrims who seek his aid. Visitors are required to bow before crossing a bridge into the cemetery, where 200,000 gravestones guide the path to his mausoleum. Numerous influential figures and devout monks have chosen this sacred site for their burial, hoping proximity to his remains will aid their journey to salvation upon the Future Buddha's arrival.
The mausoleum is preceded by the Hall of Lamps, housing 10,000 perpetually lit lanterns and 50,000 miniature statues, all dedicated to Kobo Daishi. Pilgrims can present offerings in the aptly named Offering Hall, though it's worth noting that the great man likely has no immediate need for more lanterns or statues.
4. The Graveyard of Dracula
St Mary’s Church in Whitby, constructed in 1110, features a cemetery that originated around the same period.
This burial ground has long captivated those with a taste for the Gothic, famously inspiring a scene in Bram Stoker’s Dracula. In the story, the vampire arrives at Whitby, emerging from a ship with a mysteriously deceased crew, and takes refuge in a desolate crypt within a church strikingly similar to St Mary’s. Stoker, who resided in the town while penning his novel, was deeply influenced by the eerie ambiance of the location.
Modern-day visitors, however, might encounter more macabre sights than anticipated. Coastal erosion and landslides have exposed several graves, though none have revealed fanged figures in dramatic attire. Efforts are underway to protect the churchyard and its remains from being claimed by the sea.
3. The Cemetery of the Plague
In 1665, a tailor from the village of Eyam received a shipment of fabric from London. Upon arrival, the cloth appeared damp, prompting him to dry it by the fire. Tragically, the fabric harbored fleas infected with the bubonic plague, sealing the fate of the village.
Within two months, the tailor and 42 others had perished. The local rector, determined to stop the plague from spreading, convinced the villagers to isolate themselves. He vowed to stay and support them, despite the grave risks.
The rector established a quarantine zone, and the villagers, aware of the potential consequences, chose to remain. Many endured unimaginable losses, such as Elizabeth Hancock, who buried her husband and six children in just eight days. Forced to dig the graves alone, she faced the horror of isolation as others feared approaching her.
Burying the dead was a perilous duty. Marshall Howe, who had contracted and survived the plague early on, took on the role, convinced of his immunity. He frequently claimed the belongings of the deceased as payment, though this likely led to his wife and young son contracting the disease from the contaminated items. Unlike Howe, they did not survive, and he was forced to bury them as well.
The graves of those lost to the plague remain in Eyam Parish Churchyard. Marshall Howe and the rector survived, though the rector’s wife, who cared for the sick, eventually fell victim. By November 1666, the plague had claimed half the village but was finally eradicated, sparing neighboring communities.
2. The Graveyard of a Million Mummies
In an Egyptian burial site mysteriously named 'The Way of the Water Buffalo,' researchers have unearthed a staggering number of mummies—over a million, to be exact.
This burial site, active from the first to the seventh centuries, primarily housed the remains of Egypt’s poorer citizens under Roman Empire rule. Most were interred without coffins or grave goods, so those expecting treasures akin to Tutankhamen’s will be let down.
Despite their inability to afford the opulent burial practices of the pharaohs, the deceased were laid to rest with considerable care. Researchers remain puzzled by the sheer volume of bodies, as it’s improbable they all belonged to local residents.
The excavation has revealed some unusual finds, including a mummy measuring over 213 centimeters (7 feet) tall, folded to fit its grave, and several mummies with blond or red hair. The site shows clusters of mummies grouped by hair color, though this could simply reflect family burials.
1. The Graveyard of Shame
The Oise-Aisne American Cemetery in France honors those who lost their lives during World War I. It features 6,012 graves, neatly arranged in four plots labeled A to D.
Separate from these is Plot E, accessible only through the superintendent’s office. This secluded area holds 96 unmarked graves of American soldiers executed for crimes during World War II, their dishonorable discharges excluding them from recognition on the American Battle Monuments Commission’s website.
These men are accused of killing 26 fellow soldiers and committing atrocities against 71 civilians of various nationalities. Designated for the “dishonorable dead,” Plot E’s graves are identified solely by numbers, and the deceased are buried facing away from the honored. The American flag does not fly over this section.
The sole exception in Plot E was Private Eddie Slovik, executed for desertion on January 31, 1945—the only such execution since the Civil War. In 1987, his remains were moved and reburied beside his wife after his family secured a presidential pardon.
