Guide to the most beautiful cemeteries in the world

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Any other cemetery enthusiasts out there? Do you add visiting the most beautiful cemeteries in the world on your travel itinerary? I so, here is a running list of the famous and not-so-famous and prettiest cemeteries in the United States and around the world.

This post contains recommended links to products and services. As an Amazon Associate, I may earn from qualifying purchases. While you will not accrue any additional costs to support my blog, I may receive compensation if you purchase these products and services. All images are taken by kmf and available for digital download.

Where to find the famous and most beautiful cemeteries in the world

Cemeteries fascinate me rather than scare me. I love the history and the untold stories behind the beautiful monuments and memorials of love. When I visit, I often wonder if loved ones still visit the gravesites; are there still people in this world who remember them and love them? So I say a little prayer to acknowledge and honor their legacy.

Note: Post originally published Oct. 31, 2019; updated May 29, 2023.

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How finding the most beautiful cemeteries in the world began

I don’t recall when we started adding beautiful and historic cemeteries to our travel itineraries. I’m thinking it was probably when we lived in Vermont.

Our friend, who was in the monument business, wanted to take us on a tour of Hope Cemetery in Barre, Vermont. At first, I thought it was a little odd. This was before the internet so I had no idea what to expect. I later learned that thousands of people visit this beautiful outdoor museum every year.

Hope Cemetery was unlike any cemetery I had ever visited before. I could not believe that there were so many beautiful (and some quirky) headstones and monuments in small-town Barre. You’ll learn more about that cemetery later in this post.

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This post contains recommended links to products and services. As an Amazon Associate, I may earn from qualifying purchases. While you will not accrue any additional costs to support my blog, I may receive compensation if you purchase these products and services. All images are taken by kmf and available for digital download.

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Tour of (some of) the most beautiful cemeteries in the United States

Here is a virtual tour of the famous and not-so-famous and most beautiful cemeteries in the United States. At least of those that I have visited so far. Some of these cemeteries claim to be haunted, the oldest, the largest, the best, the top, historic, abandoned, the most eccentric and the most beautiful. You can decide for yourself which of these open-air museums and outdoor sculpture galleries warrant their respective titles.

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Iowa – beautiful small-town cemetery tour

Belmond, Iowa Cemetery

This not-so-famous but definitely a beautiful cemetery in rural Belmond, Iowa has a special place in my heart – it’s my paternal family’s cemetery. Belmond is my father’s hometown and his final resting place, and my grandmother lies next to him, which brings me much comfort. My great grandparents and great-great grandparents were also laid to rest here in this small-town cemetery.

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Buddy Holly Crash Site, Memorial and Museum in Clear Lake, Iowa

While the Buddy Holly Crash Site Memorial isn’t a cemetery, it is a place where fans visit where he, along with musicians The Big Bopper and Ritchie Valens, and the pilot, Roger Peterson, died in a plane crash on Feb. 3. 1959 – the day the music died.

You’ll find the entrance is on a gravel country road in Clear Lake, Iowa, where the farmers leave a mowed path to the memorial site (about a quarter of a mile). Here is where you can leave your mementos or moments of silence. You can read more about our experience at the Buddy Holly Crash Site and Museum in Clear Lake, Iowa in a more detailed post with more photos.

In downtown Clear Lake, Iowa, you can visit the Buddy Holly Museum, which is also home to The Surf Ballroom. That’s the venue where these three musicians last played along with Waylon Jennings (who gave up his seat to The Big Bopper who had come down with the flu).

Evergreen Cemetery in Fairfield, Iowa

The Evergreen Cemetery in Fairfield, Iowa is my hometown cemetery. Many maternal relatives and friends are buried here as well as my husband’s parents and brother. It’s a very peaceful and beautiful cemetery with lots of trees.

To be very honest, I really have not spent much time in this cemetery from the perspective of admiring the sculptures and its beauty. My husband captured these images at Evergreen Cemetery so we have him to thank for these beautiful cemetery photos.

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Louisiana cemetery tour

Many cemeteries in Louisiana claim they are the most haunted. I’m not sure about that, but I do know New Orleans especially is home to many beautiful, historic and unique cemeteries.

New Orleans, Louisiana cemetery tour

One of my favorite things to do in New Orleans is to take the cemetery tours in New Orleans. I highly recommend them as they are beautiful and unique. New Orleans is below sea level so they can’t really bury people there. Rather, they are laid to rest in marble vaults above ground.

A cemetery tour offers a great opportunity to learn about the city’s history as well as the people. Although one cemetery tour in New Orleans gave me a voodoo doll, which kind of freaked me out a little so I left it behind on the bus.

Here are a few images my husband and I captured on those cemetery tours in New Orleans.

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Massachusetts cemetery tour

I love all things history and I especially loved touring the historic cemeteries in Massachusetts – some of the oldest cemeteries in America.

Copp’s Hill Burying Ground in Boston, Massachusetts

We spent a day in Boston last year on the Freedom Trail. It was downpouring so we didn’t have an opportunity to spend much time at each of the sites. However, we did capture a few photos at Copp’s Hill Burying Ground – one of the oldest and historic cemeteries in America.

Originally called North Burying Ground, Copp’s Hill Burying Ground cemetery was established in 1659 (the second oldest in Boston) and named after William Copp, a shoemaker and early settler.

Among the 10,000 who are buried at Copp’s Hill Burying Ground in Boston (including the USS Constitution builder), more than 1,000 were free blacks and slaves.  

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Old Burying Point | Salem, Massachusetts

Last year, my husband, son and I spent a couple of days in Salem, Mass. Our amazing guide, Kenneth, took us on a walking tour for about three hours (which was only supposed to be 90 minutes to two hours). He was so generous with his time and sharing his knowledge (we had a lot of questions). I cannot say enough great things about him.

Read about our stay in a haunted hotel near Old Burying Point Cemetery – the historic Hawthorne Hotel in Salem, Mass.

Here are photos from one of our more poignant stops at The Burying Point Cemetery. Established in 1637, it is Salem’s oldest cemetery and among the oldest in the U.S.

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Salem Witch Trials Memorial Wall

Of special note at The Burying Point cemetery is the Salem Witch Trial Memorial Wall. While all of the 200 men and women accused of witchcraft between 1692 and 1693 could have taken a guilty plea deal to avoid death, 14 of the women and 5 of the men who refused to plead guilty went to trial (and one man refused to enter any plea). All were executed by hanging with the exception of one man, Giles Corey, who was pressed to death. Such a tragedy in our nation’s history.

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Minnesota cemetery tour

Home to many Native American tribal burial mounds, you can also find several early settler / pioneer cemeteries within Minnesota state parks as well as a mass grave, a cemetery under a park, and a beautiful cemetery that looks and feels like a park.

Beltrami Park / Maple Hill Cemetery

To quote my husband, “That’s some Poltergeist sh** right there.”

That was his reaction when we stopped at Beltrami Park in NE Minnesota on Halloween last year. Beltrami is home to bocce ball courts, a basketball court, a playground, picnic tables, and a cemetery established in 1857.

“You left the bodies and you only moved the headstones.”

Poltergeist

That quote is not 100% accurate for Beltrami Park. Three grave markers still remain. If you can find them.

Controversary swirled around Beltrami Park back in the day. Formerly known as Maple Hill Cemetery, about 1,000 caskets were moved to two different cemeteries in the 1890s. Yet thousands of early settlers as well as 46 Civil War Union veterans still remain in this park. No joke. That is not a Halloween-themed urban legend. This former cemetery is a neighborhood park.

We attempted to find all three gravesite markers when visiting Beltrami Park. However, it was a bit challenging with all the leaves on the ground. As we only found one, we plan to revisit to find the other two.

What’s interesting to note is that garden cemeteries were common in the mid-1800s as public parks were not. Residents often picnicked and strolled through cemeteries then. Maple Hill Cemetery closed in 1890 and after years of neglect is when it was decided to donate the land to the Minneapolis Park Board. That’s when many of the remains were moved to nearby Lakewood Cemetery and Fort Snelling Cemetery. However, it is unknown how many gravesites remain at Beltrami Park. That’s because many sites weren’t marked or the markers came up missing during those years of neglect and vandalism.

Itasca State Park Pioneer Cemetery

Minimal information is available for the Pioneer Cemetery in Itasca State Park (located near Park Rapids, Minn.), which was established in 1898. Sometimes only the date of death is recorded on the grave markers. One exception is the disturbing and controversial death of the cemetery’s founder, William McMullen. He, coincidentally, became the second of only 14 people buried in Pioneer Cemetery at Itasca State Park.

But the Pioneer Cemetery is not the oldest burial ground at Itasca State Park. Ten burial mounds with the remains of Woodland people dating back 800 years are now protected by law at Itasca State Park. Local nations provide direction on the maintenance of these sacred burial sites. Learn more about this cemetery and burial mounds in my post: Top things to do at Itasca State Park.

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Lakewood Cemetery, Minneapolis, Minnesota

One of the most beautiful cemeteries I recently discovered is less than 25 miles from my home. Celebrating its 100-year anniversary in 2021, Lakewood Cemetery in Minneapolis is one of the prettiest open-air museums to celebrate the lives of many Minnesotans. You’ll find the prettiest flower gardens, stunning sculptures, memorials, monuments, architecture and a mesmerizing reflection pool. And it’s a beautiful destination for fall colors.

Lakewood Cemetery offers miles of winding roads where you can walk or run (no bikes) around a beautiful pond and where you can pay your respects to those who made this urban cemetery their final resting place including Vice President Hubert Humphrey, U.S. Senator Paul Wellstone, Governor John S. Pillsbury (the founder of the Pillsbury Company), and Tiny Tim. 

Refer to this is map of Lakewood Cemetery, which you can follow on your own self-guided visit. You can also take a tour; check out the Lakewood Cemetery website for upcoming dates and see one of the most beautiful cemeteries in the world.

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Lutheran Memorial Cemetery, Hinckley, Minnesota

In 1894, a forest fire known as the Great Hinckley Fire, killed 418 men, women and children in Minnesota. You will find a mass grave at the Lutheran Memorial Cemetery, located in Hinckley, Minnesota, along with the Great Hinckley Fire Monument.

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Rochester, Minnesota cemeteries

We visited three different cemeteries on our Haunted Rochester (Minnesota) Trolley Tour: Calvary Cemetery, Lost Cemetery and Oakwood Cemetery. I don’t normally visit cemeteries at night so would love to return and walk through all of these cemeteries.

If you’re a fan of Field of Dreams, you may recognize the name Archibald Graham (i.e., Moonlight Graham and Doc Graham). He is buried at the Calvary Cemetery in Rochester, Minnesota. See my related post about the Haunted Rochester Trolley Tour for more details.

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The story of Lost Cemetery in Rochester, Minnesota is a little disturbing. For many years, the grassy hill at a former state hospital / asylum hid an unmarked mass grave of patients who had died from the 1880s through the 1960s. Gravesite markers were finally erected to respectfully memorialize those who had passed.

One notable gravesite at Lost Cemetery is that of William H. Costley / William H. Crossley. He is believed to have been the first male slave emancipated by President Abraham Lincoln. This cemetery is also a stop on the Haunted Rochester Trolley Tour.

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Dr. Joseph Graham Mayo, son of one of the famed physicians who founded the Mayo Clinic, is buried at the beautiful (and possibly haunted) Oakwood Cemetery in Rochester, Minn. See more details in a related post: Haunted Rochester Trolley Tour.

Another worthwhile tour is the historical Mayowood Mansion in Rochester, Minnesota. In addition to the beautiful home of Dr. Charles H. and Edith Mayo, you’ll find breathtaking gardens and grounds – which is also the final resting place of their son and daughter-in-law, Dr. Chuck and Alice Mayo.

The epitaph reads:

Grieved not I or she
The cause is just
And surely in reunion is reprieve

See my related post: Top things to do in Rochester, Mayo – Tour the historic Mayowood Mansion.

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Thomson Pioneer Cemetery, Thomson, Minnesota

Not much is known about the Thomson Pioneer Cemetery located within the borders of Jay Cooke State Park in Thomson/Carleton, Minnesota (just south of Duluth off from I-35). You’ll find the gravesites and remaining headstones from the late 1800s in a large open field as well as among the trees along Thomson Trail in Jay Cooke State Park.

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Wykoff Cemetery | Wykoff, Minn.

As I was road tripping it to the Forestville / Mystery Cave State Park, I passed a small country cemetery in Wykoff, Minn. The Vietnam veteran’s memorial pictured made me turn around and stop in. Along with some historic headstones, this rural cemetery also featured a memorial fence of sorts. The white picket fence bordering a cornfield displayed some in-memory-of-plaques. Keep your eyes open on your road trips as you may find some of the most beautiful cemeteries in the world in unlikely places.

Zumbro Hill Cemetery at Forestville / Mystery Cave State Park; Preston, Minn.

You’ll find the peaceful and secluded Zumbro Hill Cemetery at Forestville State Park in Preston, Minn. The headstones date back to before the Civil War and are situated among very tall trees with a couple of park benchs where you can sit and reflect. This park also features a historic village from the 1800s. Check out my related post: Take the Minnesota State Park Challenge for more details.

Ohio cemetery tour

In my opinion, Ohio is home to the most beautiful cemetery in the United States – and a top contender for the most intriguing memorial and arboretum in the world.

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Lake View Cemetery in Cleveland, Ohio

When my son was 14, he planned our summer vacation to Ohio. Yes, Ohio. It pleasantly surprised us and become one of our favorite family getaways ever.

Family summer vacation itinerary includes beautiful cemetery visit

Our itinerary included Cedar Point: The Roller Coaster Capital of the World, Pro Football Hall of Fame, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and The Christmas Story House.

Although I added Lake View Cemetery to our list of things to do in Cleveland, I didn’t receive any objection from my husband or my son as they find cemeteries intriguing also. Even Sam’s friend who joined us on our vacation didn’t think it was weird. At least he never said anything.

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Granted, Lake View Cemetery is more like a park – a beautiful park. In fact, it’s known as Cleveland’s Outdoor Museum and Arboretum. And here’s why.

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Vermont cemetery tour

With easy access to granite quarries, it’s no surprise that you’ll find one of the most beautiful cemeteries in Barre, Vermont.

Hope Cemetery in Barre, Vermont

I believe Hope Cemetery in Barre, Vermont is where I first became intrigued with the artistry behind the cemetery monuments, memorials and statues made out of granite. While New Hampshire (which borders Vermont) is known as the Granite State, the City of Barre claims it is the Granite Center of the World.

Our friend who introduced us to Hope Cemetery and his family were in the monument business. He shared with us that many Italian and Scottish stonecutters immigrated to Barre, Vermont so that’s why you’ll find beautiful cemetery headstones, sculptures and monuments at Hope Cemetery – many worthy of a museum exhibit.

Where our pursuit of the most beautiful cemeteries in the world began – Hope Cemetery in Vermont

In fact, Hope Cemetery is referred to as an open-air museum where it attracts thousands of visitors a year. Hope Cemetery is 65 acres with more than 10,000 headstones and monuments. In addition to the more traditional headstones and sculptures of angels and cherubs, you’ll find some unique memorials such as a soccer ball, a husband and wife laying in bed, a couple looking off into the distance, a stonecutter cutting stone, a race car and more.

We toured Hope Cemetery back in 1990 where my husband captured our experience on a camcorder. So if these shots seem a little raw and out-of-focus, that’s because they are (me recording a video recording and screenshotting with my iPhone). I’m due for a visit to Vermont so will definitely make a return trip to one of the most beautiful cemeteries in the United States – if not the world.

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Washington DC / Virginia cemetery tour

Arlington National Cemetery | Arlington, Virginia

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My visit to Arlington National Cemetery holds a very special place in my heart. When my father passed away in 1999, I planned a trip with my grandmother to Washington D.C. Just the two of us in honor of my father. All three of us were history buffs so visiting the nation’s capital seemed fitting. It was my first time to DC and my grandmother’s first time as well.

In fact, our trip to Washington D.C. was her first time on a jet airplane, first time in a cab, first time on a subway and first time she ordered room service. We had so much fun even in our grief. And she often told me it was a trip of a lifetime.

Finding family gravesite at Arlington National Cemetery

One of my most meaningful moments and memories with my grandmother was finding her cousin’s gravesite at Arlington National Cemetery.

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Second Lt. Paul (Bob) Kringel, Jr., a copilot with the Army Air Corps in the Pacific Theater, was killed in action on a mission six days before Japan surrendered ending WWII.

Kringel was copiloting the lead bomber (B-25J) in heavy haze over Beppu Bay on Kyushua, Japan on Aug. 9, 1945. Flying at a low level, the wingtip of the bomber struck a tree and then the Japanese aircraft carrier before crashing beside the ship. The entire 44-31054 crew died on that missing – one of the last groups of U.S. servicemen to perish in World War II. They included:

• Col. Edwin H. Hawes, command pilot
• Second Lt. Paul F. Kringel, Jr., co-pilot
• Capt. John W. Long, Jr., navigator
• S/Sgt. Frank D’arcy, engineer
• S/Sgt., Morris Zissman, gunner
• S/Sgt. Edward C. Mitchell, gunner

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A few years after my first visit to Arlington National Cemetery, I returned with my husband and son to pay our respects to my grandmother’s cousin and the 400,000 others who are buried there.

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Tour of (some of) the most beautiful cemeteries in Europe

As a reminder, this post is about my pursuit of the most beautiful cemeteries in the U.S. as well as the world. I’ve listed (at the end of this post) a few that have been recommended to me from my fellow travel bloggers. Let me know in the comments about any other beautiful cemeteries I should visit.

Italy cemetery tour

Our visit to Italy was much too short so looking forward to a return trip to explore more historical places including cemeteries.

Basilica Santa Croce in Florence, Italy

The Basilica Santa Croce in Florence, Italy is the final resting place of Michelangelo – the famed artist, sculptor and poet from the Italian Renaissance period. He is best known for the statue of David and the Sistine Chapel ceiling paintings.

Niccolò di Bernardo dei Machiavelli (philosopher and writer and known as the father of political philosophy and political science – Machiavellian theory) is buried at Basilica Santa Croce in Florence, Italy as is famous astronomer, philosopher and mathematician Galileo Galile.

Dante’s tomb controversy

While you’ll find the Dante monument and Dante’s memorial in Florence, his body and tomb are actually located more than 100 miles away in Ravenna, Italy next to the Basilica di San Francesco. That’s because he was exiled from his birthplace of Florence and hadn’t lived there for two decades. The story goes that his bones were ordered back to Florence a couple of centuries later, but they sent back an empty tomb.

Luxembourg cemetery tour

My husband’s maternal family comesfrom Luxembourg so we we visited one of the most beautiful cemeteries on our last visit to Luxembourg.

Cemetery of Notre Dame (Cimetiere Notre-Dame) in Luxembourg City, Luxembourg | Europe

My husband’s grandparents are buried in the city’s Cemetery of Notre Dame, which was established in 1755. It’s custom for families to be buried in the same burial plot on top of each other.

We visited the family cemetery on our last trip to Luxembourg to pay our respects. While I never met Steve’s grandfather, Grandma Kolbach lived in the States for many years – a wonderful woman who I remember, cherish and love tremendously. You can read more about my husband’s family history and our journey to honor his grandfather, Jean Pierre Kolbach – a concentration camp survivor – in a separate blog post.

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Luxembourg American Cemetery and Memorial in Hamm, Luxembourg

Another cemetery in Luxembourg is the final resting place for General George Patton. The Luxembourg American Cemetery and Memorial, located in Hamm, contains the remains of 5,076 Americans – most of them died during the Battle of the Bulge. My great uncle fought in that battle and survived. He also served in General Patton’s Third Army as a half-track driver.

My husband has a picture of him and his grandmother visiting in the late 1970s so will post as soon as we locate it. And this one is listed on my cemetery bucket list.

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Spain cemetery tour

You’ll find so much fascinating history in Spain. And I love the afternoon I spent at one of Spain’s most beautiful cemeteries – and one of the largest in Europe.

Our Lady of Almudena Cemetery (Cementerio de la Almudena) in Madrid, Spain

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Last May, I spent an afternoon at Our Lady of Almudena Cemetery in Madrid, Spain. More than 5 million people are buried there – more than the current population of Madrid – and is one of the largest cemeteries in western Europe.

Here are just a few of the beautiful and haunting sculptures from my visit. You can find more information and pictures of cemetery statues and monuments in my blog post: Our Lady of Almudena Cemetery – Madrid’s beautiful outdoor art gallery.

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Pursuit of the most beautiful cemeteries in the world continues

These are just a few of the cemeteries we’ve visited. For example, my husband and son went to the Hollywood Cemetery in Los Angeles, California. My niece Audrey and I were at Price is Right. I’ll search for those pictures (pre-digital era) to scan and post later.

And Ben & Jerry’s factory and headquarters in Vermont features a Dearly Depinted Cemetery (final resting place for discontinued flavors…please bring back Dastardly Mash).

Must-see list of beautiful and historic cemeteries in the world

Here are the names currently on my list of the most beautiful cemeteries to tour in the United States as well as the world (recommended by other travel bloggers). As I’m in pursuit of more beautiful cemeteries in the world, I would greatly appreciate any recommendations on any I should visit. Please feel free to leave in the comments below. Thank you!

• Bonaventure Cemetery; Savannah, Georgia
• Colón Cemetery; Havana, Cuba
• Forest Lawn; Los Angeles (Glendale), California
• Greenwood Cemetery; Brooklyn, New York
• Grove Street Cemetery; New Haven, Connecticut
• Highgate Cemetery; London
• Huguenot Cemetery; St. Augustine, Florida
• Luxembourg American Cemetery and Memorial; Hamm, Luxembourg
• Mt. Auburn Cemetery; Cambridge/Watertown, Massachusetts
• Oakland Cemetery; Atlanta, Georgia
• Old Dutch Church; Sleepy Hollow, New York
• Old San Juan Cemetery; San Juan, Puerto Rico
• Père Lachaise Cemetery; Paris
• Recoleta Cemetery; Buenos Aires
• Riverside Cemetery; Asheville, North Carolina
• Riverview Cemetery; Trenton, New Jersey
• Saint Mary’s Cemetery; Utica, New York
• Tolomato Cemetery; St. Augustine, Florida
• Watts Cemetery and Chapel; Guildford, Surrey, UK

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Pin it for later – The most beautiful cemeteries in the world

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