Cemeteries

A cemetery is any place with graves, tombs and memorials. The range of types and appearances is vast, from extensive mausolea with huge architectural elaborations, to unmarked plots of ground with hardly a sign it is a resting place.

In some cases royal memorials and tombs (see monarchies) may be the central point of vast grounds that might not always be known as a cemetery as such. Such sites are extensively visited for a wide range of reasons, depending on the local or national culture, they might be pilgrimage sites as well.

Pilgrimage
Some countries have extensive pilgrimage systems. Cemeteries and the tombs of special people within a religious or national context are connected with others. Sometimes the networks are well mapped and signed, others more mysterious and less obvious.

To complicate the issue, some areas and places have very different ideas about pilgrimage, and deny the veracity of the process. People can be told 'no there is no special grave here', or even directed to not consider graves or tombs to be suitable to visit at all.

The important part of becoming involved in pilgrimage is to research first. To make sure the cemetery or tomb is an acceptable place to visit and that there are no prohibitions.

Some grave complexes have elaborate procedures for visitors to comply with, with restrictions on visiting times, and clothing. In some countries, where hierarchical social and political strictures exist, some graves can even be off limits, or distanced from public access.

Walls and structures
Some cemeteries in built up areas have massive walls and fences for protection from vandalism. The walls and the surrounding structures can say more about the history of the location than the actual tombs.

In earlier times the walls and structures surrounding may have been built in relation to beliefs about things leaving the cemetery, as much as entering.

The leave-no-trace principle is the same as for archaeological sites. The legal consequences for trespassing in restricted areas, damaging graves, or souveniring artifacts from graves might be harsh. Respect the laws and regulations of local authorities.

Respect
Some cultures have very distinct beliefs about how or how not to visit graves, and it is well worth checking out acceptable practices. For instance some places have strict rules on not walking over or touching a grave or its coverings.

Some places also have specified clothing types for people entering, in most cases pieces of clothing are available to hire at entries, or items considered not suitable can be kept at the entrances.

Religious manners vary between faiths and countries; before you visit a cemetery of an unfamiliar religion, you should learn some basic etiquette of that religion, for instance by asking a local.

Avoid taking photographs of grieving people.

Information and genealogy
Some cemeteries have custodians or caretakers who have information about the place or know where information can be found.

Some cemeteries have museums, organised tours and guidebooks for tourists to find the graves of famous and significant people.

Many older cemeteries and grave sites that are archaeological sites as well.

Due to the pressures of genealogical enthusiasts, or for other reasons, some cemeteries can provide burial lists and details.

However, weathering of gravestones or headstones can wash away all information, and for some places, the site is so old, there are simply no people or publications available about the deceased buried there.

Funerals
The opportunity to be 'on site' during an important person's funeral or funeral procession can be a very special insight into a country or culture's attitude to people and their death.

High status people in some countries have such elaborate funerals that to be a witness is something that is very memorable.

There are usually protocols as to how close to death the funeral process is held, some events of burial are very close to death. Others require delays in numerical or calendrical auspiciousness. In parts of the world where the winter months involve the ground freezing and becoming difficult to dig in, families may wait until the spring thaw to hold an on-site burial. In some cold countries, the ground is warmed to allow digging despite the frost.

Included in the protocols are the orders of precedence who precedes who in the sequence of mourners, some mausoleums and cemeteries have illustrations of the mourning processions of earlier deaths, where each allocated position in the mourning procession is identified.

Buy
There are limited ranges of cemetery souvenirs: usually guide books. Some cemeteries have meticulous and elaborate guides.

Brazil

 * Where important famous people who died in Rio de Janeiro are buried, including nine former presidents of Brazil and important musicians (such as Tom Jobim), writers (such as José de Alencar and Machado de Assis) and famous actresses (such as Carmen Miranda).

Mexico

 * Famous for its Day of the Dead celebrations.
 * Famous for its Day of the Dead celebrations.
 * Famous for its Day of the Dead celebrations.

United States

 * Victorian-era National Cemetery occupying 300 acres.
 * National Historic Landmark and Revolutionary War battleground covering nearly 500 acres.
 * occupying more than 100 acres.
 * Served as inspiration for numerous rural cemeteries in North America.
 * , &, three cemeteries with 18th and 19th century above ground tombs.
 * National Historic Landmark covers more than 400 acres.
 * Served as inspiration for numerous rural cemeteries in North America.
 * , &, three cemeteries with 18th and 19th century above ground tombs.
 * National Historic Landmark covers more than 400 acres.

Canada

 * spans 200 acres and it is also an arboretum. The cemetery is the final resting place of several former Prime Ministers and other prominent figures in Canadian and world history, including Sir Fredrick Banting and Charles Best, two of the co-discoverers of insulin.
 * and . Located on the slopes of Mount Royal, these two cemeteries are the final resting place of over 1 million people.

Israel

 * , ancient cemetery of the Sanhedrin, and, the modern-day burial ground located nearby.
 * historic cemetery containing the graves of prominent people from the 19th century.
 * , ancient cemetery of the Sanhedrin, and, the modern-day burial ground located nearby.
 * historic cemetery containing the graves of prominent people from the 19th century.
 * historic cemetery containing the graves of prominent people from the 19th century.
 * historic cemetery containing the graves of prominent people from the 19th century.

Philippines

 * National burial place containing the graves of prominent government officials, military and other notable individuals.

Turkey

 * A footpath from the banks of the Golden Horn cuts through the Ottoman-era burial ground where the tradition dictates that the marble headstones of men are topped by a turban while those of women have floral designs. A gondola lift line passes over part of the cemetery as well.
 * The massive and highly elaborate tombstones at the Ahlat Cemetery (on the Lake Van near Tatvan), carved out of local volcanic rocks, date back to the local Ahlatshah Kingdom of the 11th–12th centuries and are typical of the medieval Turkish art.
 * hosts several military cemeteries of soldiers from Turkey and the Commonwealth nations (Australia and New Zealand in particular) fallen during the Gallipoli Campaign of World War I.
 * A footpath from the banks of the Golden Horn cuts through the Ottoman-era burial ground where the tradition dictates that the marble headstones of men are topped by a turban while those of women have floral designs. A gondola lift line passes over part of the cemetery as well.
 * The massive and highly elaborate tombstones at the Ahlat Cemetery (on the Lake Van near Tatvan), carved out of local volcanic rocks, date back to the local Ahlatshah Kingdom of the 11th–12th centuries and are typical of the medieval Turkish art.
 * hosts several military cemeteries of soldiers from Turkey and the Commonwealth nations (Australia and New Zealand in particular) fallen during the Gallipoli Campaign of World War I.

Armenia

 * , near Sevan on the lake of the same name, has the world's largest collection of khachkars – Armenia's massive, highly elaborately carved traditional headstones with a cross in the centre.

Austria

 * Vienna (see Culture section about Death, and Zentralfriedhof)

Balkans

 * Stećci Medieval Tombstones Graveyards

Croatia

 * Mirogoj Cemetery, Zagreb

Finland

 * , with graves of many celebrities.
 * , the largest cemetery of Finland in terms of the number of burials.
 * , inaugurated in 1807, close to Malmi in number of graves.

France

 * several military cemeteries in Normandy, near the D-Day beaches
 * several military cemeteries in Normandy, near the D-Day beaches

Italy

 * cemetery island of Venice
 * Brion Cemetery near Treviso by Carlo Scarpa, famous 20th century Italian architect
 * Etruscan Necropolis outside of Tarquinia
 * Etruscan Necropolis outside of Tarquinia

Poland

 * is the oldest and most famous cemetery in Warsaw. Established in 1790, many prominent figures in Polish history are buried in the cemetery, which is estimated to have over 1 million interments. Not to be confused with the Powązki Military Cemetery, located northwest of Powązki Cemetery in the Żoliborz district.
 * is a historic necropolis in Kraków. Notable burials include the parents of Pope John Paul II.
 * Pęksowy Brzyzek National Cemetery in Zakopane.

Russia

 * Shirokorechenskoye Kladbishche Cemetery (Mafia cemetery, Yekaterinburg)
 * Shirokorechenskoye Kladbishche Cemetery (Mafia cemetery, Yekaterinburg)

Sweden

 * , a world heritage site.
 * One of Scandinavia's largest cemeteries. Among famous Swedes buried here are Prime Minister Per Albin Hansson, actress Ingrid Bergman, humanitarian Folke Bernadotte, and fin-de-siècle writer August Strindberg.

Ukraine

 * ; Grave of Rabbi Nachman of Breslov in Uman, a major site of Chasidic pilgrimage.

England

 * Stonehenge
 * Magnificent Seven - established in the 19th century to alleviate overcrowding in the parish burial grounds of London:

Australia

 * Gore Hill Memorial Cemetery in Sydney/Lower North Shore
 * Macquarie Park Cemetery in Sydney/Macquarie Park
 * Melbourne General Cemetery in Melbourne
 * Old Nambour Cemetery in Nambour
 * Toowong Cemetery in Brisbane