6 Macabre Must-See Cemeteries

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There are only two sure things, it's said: death and taxes. As we still have time until April 15, we're going to discuss the former.

Everyone wants to be remembered in life, but there are some folks who choose to go out with a bang, and that’s by spending their days of eternity in the following cemeteries. Mausoleums entice travelers from all over the world with famous and bizarre tombstones that make the thought of death less daunting, but more fascinating. So if you’re intrigued by the afterlife, then take a trip to each of these cemeteries, which promises to be a deathly experience you’ll never forget.

Camiguin Island, Philippines: Sunken Cemetery

A cross floating in the middle of the sea is eerie enough to make the best swimmer ditch the beach altogether, but on the Camiguin Island the lonesome cross is a major attention grabber. The Sunken Cemetery is quite the unforgettable sight as it appears to miraculously soar out of the water. However, its dynamic presence is a reminder of the grave that once concealed the dead souls of the island’s inhabitants. 

In the 1870s, the eruption of Mt. Vulcan caused the burial site to plunge into the depths of the ocean.  Boat rides are provided for tourists wanting to view the cross up close, from where the volcanic beast can be seen resting.  But if you choose to stay ashore, the lonely cross still beckons all to pay reverence to Camiguin’s lost spirits.

Cairo, Egypt: City of the Dead

In the midst of the daily hustle and bustle of Cairo sits a silent necropolis that is centuries old.  To Egyptians this departed community is called el'arafa, but it is also respectfully referred to as the City of the Dead.  The foot of the Mokattan Hills is speckled with hundreds of tombstones and mausoleums that stretch for about four miles.

Homes are also interspersed among the graves, which belong to residents who have either chosen to live or work amongst the deceased. Tours of the City of the Dead are given to those interested in the history and architecture of this final resting place. Even Ibn Battuta paid a visit to the interesting site which was so memorable, he made note of it in his travelogue.

Paris France: Pere Lachaise Cemetery

Exploring a cemetery isn’t the first thing that comes to mind when visiting the beautiful city of Paris, but you may change your mind once you’re in the presence of French elite at the Pere Lachaise Cemetery. From playwright Oscar Wilde to French actress Claude Jade, everyone who is everyone in France makes their final rest here. And with trails lined by elaborate sculptors and massive tombstones, no one joins the afterlife in such exquisite style like the French.  

Who wouldn’t want to be in the presence of great poets, actors and thinkers?  Not only can you be influenced by their work in life, the Pere Lachaise Cemetery offers a unique opportunity to visit them in death as well.

Sapânta, Romania: Merry Cemetery

If you want a plot at the Merry Cemetery, make sure you’ve lived a wholesome life — especially if you don’t want to be the town gossip in death.  The graveyard’s monuments are immaculately designed with bold pictures painted in bright colors which also depict the lives of the buried bodies.

 In Sapânta’s Merry Cemetery even your demise is projected onto the bold crosses with poems and inscriptions.  Although the cemetery paints a happy picture by the beautiful illustrations remembering beloved citizens, not every secret is buried with the dead here.

California: Hollywood Forever Cemetery

Where can you find Mickey Rooney, Douglas Fairbanks and other celebrities in one setting?  That’s at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery, which houses most of Hollywood’s greats when they have kicked the bucket.

This iconic landmark features a graveyard bedecked with huge tombs as well as a building garnished with rooms concealing the respected souls of noteworthy writers, entertainers and directors. Huge statues that appear to be guarding the celebrities here line the hallway majestically, proving even in death celebs demand an entourage. The Hollywood Forever Cemetery takes the celebrity-craze to new extremes by offering a glimpse into how these stars rest in peace.

Australia: Japanese Cemetery at Broome

Colorful beach rocks make the Japanese Cemetery at Broome a picture-perfect graveyard. Australia’s largest cemetery dedicated to the Japanese serves as a mirror to the past with over 700 hundred graves honoring divers who lost their lives at sea during a cyclone in the early 1900s. 

A drive to Cable Beach is matched by seeing these rustic,yet strange tombstones glisten in a reddish hue on Port Drive.  Not only will you get a taste of history by visiting this ghostly attraction, but witness one of the world’s most colorful burial grounds.