199 Cemeteries to See Before You Die

by Loren Rhoads

A hauntingly beautiful travel guide to the world's most visited cemeteries, told through spectacular photography and their unique histories and residents.
More than 3.5 million tourists flock to Paris's Père Lachaise cemetery each year. They are lured there, and to many cemeteries around the world, by a combination of natural beauty, ornate tombstones and crypts, notable residents, vivid history, and even wildlife. Many also visit Mount Koya cemetery in Japan, where 10,000 lanterns illuminate the forest setting, or graveside in Oaxaca, Mexico to witness Day of the Dead fiestas. Savannah's Bonaventure Cemetery has gorgeous night tours of the Southern Gothic tombstones under moss-covered trees that is one of the most popular draws of the city.

199 Cemeteries to See Before You Die features these unforgettable cemeteries, along with 196 more, seen in more than 300 photographs. In this bucket list of travel musts, author Loren Rhoads, who hosts the popular Cemetery Travel blog, details the history and features that make each destination unique. Throughout will be profiles of famous people buried there, striking memorials by noted artists, and unusual elements, such as the hand carved wood grave markers in the Merry Cemetery in Romania.

Genres: Nonfiction, Travel, History, Death, Architecture, Adult, Reference

228 pages, Hardcover

Published October 3, 2017

About the author

Loren Rhoads is author of 222 Cemeteries to See Before You Die, Wish You Were Here: Adventures in Cemetery Travel, and its sequel Still Wish You Were Here: More Adventures in Cemetery Travel.

Loren is also author of This Morbid Life, a morbid memoir, and Unsafe Words, the first full-length collection of her edgy, award-winning stories.

She's the co-author of Lost Angels and its sequel Angelus Rose. She's also author of the space opera In the Wake of the Templars trilogy: The Dangerous Type, Kill By Numbers, and No More Heroes.

Finally, she's editor of Tales for the Camp Fire, which raised money for survivors of 2018's devastating wildfire in Butte County, California.

Reviews

[Sheri · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cemetery may not be the top destination on your travel bucket list, but they are unique cultural exhibitions and a reflection of time gone by. Unique stones and monuments honor those who have gone before us. The most visited cemeteries are detailed in this volume and they are fascinating both for their history and their quiet, peaceful grounds with their memorials. Even if you aren’t able to view any of these 199 cemeteries in person, just take a stroll through a local cemetery and you’re sure to find some distinctive aspect that captures your interest such as an elaborate monument, an interesting epitaph, or even just the natural beauty and quiet serenity of your surroundings. I appreciated this round the world glimpse into the cultural and historical heritage of previous generations.

[BAM doesn’t answer to her real name · Rating 4 out of 5]

HORRORWEEN 2022 Book one!

September something (I’m not at work so i don’t care about the date- I JUST realized these are cemeteries across the entire world! This compiler went everywhere! Sometimes there a little something off about the pics.

So I had this great idea got all organised picked out my books felt strong and motivated and what happens? BOOKS! Books happened. So imma gonna try to get my butt refocused. "Ok does your butt see the letters better like this? Ehhh "or like this?" Really they are about the same.

OMG! Y’all this book is absolutely engrossing. So many facts

[Loren · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautifully illustrated, full-color hard cover guide to cemeteries around the world that are worthy of your bucket list. I'm the author, so of course I'm biased, but I can't wait for the world to see it!

[Milton Public Library · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love to travel, and one thing I don't shy away from is visiting cemeteries. If you are the same, or just interested in history, this book is for you! Take a round-the-world journey and read about different cemeteries, why they are notable, and appreciate their unique characteristics. The layout of this book is great as it provides pictures with accompanying text about each of the 199 cemeteries included in this book. My only qualm was that half of the book was dedicated to American only cemeteries. I would have liked to read more about the international ones, as that is what I am most interested in. The information is fascinating and definitely worth the read (or visit).

Find it today: https://ent.sharelibraries.info/clien...

Ashley C. / Milton Public Library #CheckOutMPL

[Lorraine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loren Rhoads’ 199 Cemeteries to see Before You Die “spotlights “ certain cemeteries all over the world. Epitaphs on tombstones was the original draw for me, but I then began to appreciate funeral art, understand the symbols used, and, lastly, admire the all styles of architecture that are found in cemeteries. This book can be a guide book to cemeteries so one can select which ones she/he would like to see. Old Burying Grounds, family cemeteries such as the one located next to the driveway to my mother’s summer home in Raymond, Me, Garden Cemeteries that were developed in the 19th c. because of the overcrowding in church graveyards such as Highgate Cemetery in London, England and Greyfriars Kirkyard in Edinburgh, Scotland (sweet Bobby is found here), religious cemeteries, ancient
burial grounds, royal burials found in cathedrals and in places far from religious houses as in Asia where a terra-cotta army guards China’s first emperor or Africa where the Pyramids of Giza which were tombs of three Egyptian pharaohs are located , soldiers’ cemeteries from the 19th c. and 20th c. wars, abroad and in he USA - Normandy, France, Flanders, Belgium and Gettysburg, PA, and many others. The architectural styles are amazing; the striking sad but beautiful sculptures one can view; and the epitaphs can be so touching - “Do you miss me at home?” I read on a 4 year old child’s tombstone dated 1863 in the Finger Lakes Region in NY or confounding as the epitaph I read in Tombstone, AZ - “Hanged by mistake.” The author presents the reader with a large selection of cemeteries: ancient, royal, pioneer, military, Victorian, and contemporary. Cemeteries are for the living even though they are homes for the dead. Well done! 4 stars.

[Elaine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent. Obviously with 199 cemeteries covered, you're not getting an extensive deep dive on any of them, but the content provided did enough to establish what was interesting about each and to pique your curiosity to learn more. One color photo per cemetery was included.

The selected cemeteries are quite diverse. North America does get the lion's share, but cemeteries from all inhabited continents are included. Some surprising but sensible choices impressed me, like Hiroshima, the USS Arizona, and Pompeii. There are ancient tombs and burial mounds as well as more modern (relatively) grounds. Where race and religion affected the layout or availability of graves in a cemetery, the author noted it.

Cemeteries are organized geographically, which threw me off a bit at first, since at first glance they clearly weren't alphabetical nor chronological. E.g. in the US you start on the east coast and gradually move westward, ending with three Hawaiian cemeteries (!).

The book itself is simple but rather lovely -- bronzey end pages are slightly metallic, and there's a matching design on the edge of all the pages reminiscent of a wrought iron fence. The paper isn't glossy, so the book is lighter to hold.

[Diana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book received through Goodreads Giveaways.

I have to admit most trips I take end up at a cemetery at some point. I usually go to pay my respects to authors and musicians that I enjoy but occasionally I also visit because some of the Victorian era ones are gorgeous. This book was perfect for me, while I have been to a few of the cemeteries mentioned there were many others I have added to the places I have wanted to visit. I definitely recommend this book if you're wanting a slightly different travel experience.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

I chose this book for the 2018 Around the Year in 52 Books discussion for week 22: A book you have high expectations or hope for. This book met my high expectations, sharing tidbits of history and trivia about 199 cemeteries from around the world. I might even consider purchasing my own copy of it, to take on the road with me.

[Liz Clappin · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’m definitely biased as someone who is very involved in the cemetery community. I think this is a great book if you’re a new taphophile or are just looking for a quick fun coffee table read. There are definitely a lot of gaps and the fact checking was weak on many of the featured cemeteries. If you’re looking for something in depth, this probably isn’t it but fine for casual enthusiasts.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Many interesting cemeteries, both here and abroad, a few of which I have been to - Lakeview in Cleveland, Soldiers' National in Gettysburg, and Arlington National in Virginia.

I also found some I would like to check out, including Hollywood in Richmond, VA, the Kentucky Horse Park, Spring Grove in Cincinnati, Normandy American Cemetery, and more!

Each entry gives the name of the cemetery, a photograph, the address and website of the cemetery, along with a brief synopsis about the cemetery.

[Sarah - All The Book Blog Names Are Taken · Rating 2 out of 5]

The author couldn’t have found one more to make it an even 200? That is totally an aside and not related to my rating, I just really don’t like uneven numbers.

The problem with books like these, looking at a very specific part of culture, is that it gets very repetitive. More pictures would’ve been wonderful to make this a true coffee table type book because that’s what it really is.

[Mary Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had fun with this book. For starters, it is beautiful. Lovely naked hardback, pretty edges that are patterned like wrought iron, and nice photographs. Each cemetery is listed by location and includes relevant information--history of the cemetery, notable occupants or monuments, protocol (only open on some days, for example), etc. It was a joy to flip through to read about some of the cemeteries I already knew and love, and find new ones. By the time I was done mine was full of page flags for places I want to research and visit. Only knocked off one star because I wish it had been more evenly distributed geographically--about half of the cemeteries are in the United States. Africa only gets a handful of pages, and Asia only slightly more than that. It just seems very short sighted.

[Jim Blessing · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an excellent book on cemeteries and I have been to many!

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great detail put into the book. Awesome coffee table book as well.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would give it 4.5 stars. Part history, part travelogue, part sociological discussion of death and memorial, this gave me some ideas for my future vacation planning.

[Spiros Kakouris · Rating 3 out of 5]

The choice of cemeteries is USA centric and uneven. It has many gems but a trimming to 111 cemeteries with most of USA ones missing would make for a better read.

[Ellen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Did I personally want to go to all of these locations? No. Were they all interesting to read about? Meh, not really. Is this still a 5-star book? Absolutely! Out of the 199 cemeteries detailed here, I personally found a good 50 or 60 that I really want to visit someday. I hope anyone interested in architecture and tourist attractions that are a bit more peaceful than average would find something within this book to add to their bucket lists.

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting look at cemeteries around the world, although the descriptions did start to sound the same after a while (this is when it was built, these are famous people buried here, here are some monuments that are worth seeing). I don't know if I would go out of my way to do a world tour of cemeteries, but if I was already going somewhere, I would probably take the time to fit one in.

[Debumere · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love a good cemetery and the best for me (that I've seen in real life) had to be Highgate. I didn't get to the Eastern side as its tour only but spent hours wandering the West Side. Very calm, serene and so many of the graves were incredibly personal.

A couple of the English ones were weak though..... I can think of many that should have been in the book. Milltown in Belfast is steeped in history.

Definitely one for the coffee table (and to read).

[Julie Herringa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is not the type of book you can sit and read cover-to-cover. Its written like a travel guide and it has fascinating places. My interest is piqued and I recommend this to anyone who appreciated cemeteries, wild habitats, or parks.

[Cynthia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating

[Blythe · Rating 2 out of 5]

boring and run-of-the-mill selections

[Claudia Vannucci · Rating 3 out of 5]

Un libro con belle fotografie per ispirare e per sognare viaggi e visite ai cimiteri. Più che ispirare però non può fare, perché le informazioni per ogni cimitero sono generiche, la selezione è ovviamente limitata, e anche i criteri di selezione sono discutibili. Ci sono catacombe, ossari, necropoli e siti archeologici, ma mancano molti importanti cimiteri nel senso più stretto della definizione.
Uno di quei libri da mettere in bella vista e da sfogliare ogni tanto.

[Hannah Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is nicely organized by region within the U.S. and then by country as well. Each featured cemetery includes its history, art, architecture, unusual monuments and headstones, and natural elements. Many of the photographs are gorgeous, such as the sun peeking through the tombstones at the Friedhof Judischer Chernivtsi cemetery in Ukraine. The cemeteries I have added to my must-see list are Highgate Cemetery in London, England (which is just as much a park as it is a cemetery), Behavior Cemetery on Sapelo Island in Georgia (descendants still practice centuries-old customs), and the Hartsdale Pet Cemetery in Hartsdale, New York (which is, indeed, a pet cemetery with both famous and ordinary pets and monuments and headstones occasionally reflecting those pets).

[Dominika · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's not like I added ALL of these cemetaries to my Google Maps bookmarks, just most of them (plan on creating and taking a morbid Paris tour in my lifetime, because I already climbed the Eifel Tower, but could always use some Catacombes de Paris).

Oh yeah, this is probably a great coffee table book. It gives a taste of information about each cemetery, and there really are some wondrous places in here, but it really is a taste. Some places re-ignited my passion for Bysantine architecture, or filled me with joy as I discovered a coral reef graveyard, but this would probably bore even those with an esoteric interest in resting places.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love visiting cemeteries because they're typically quiet and beautiful places. I once had the opportunity to visit a cemetery with Loren Rhoads and thoroughly enjoyed it. When this book came out, I had to get a copy. It's wonderful! She filled it with each cemetery's history and great photos. I definitely enjoyed it. As a hardcover, it makes a great coffee table book.

[Wendi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Beautiful pictures, but the U.S. was over represented while Asia and Africa were under represented. Too often the author drooled on about who was buried in the cemetery, overlooking many of the other unique attributes.

[Angela · Rating 2 out of 5]

Took this one out of the library and then never quite finished it. It was very long, and I had other things to read. Also I found the pictures were often quite small and often didn't show the feature that I wanted to see that was being spoken of in the text.

Kinda disappointing.

[Frank R · Rating 3 out of 5]

That half the featured cemeteries are in the US was a disappointment. Many of these were uninteresting, and shouldn't even qualify--Graceland, really?

Once the book moves outside US borders the entries are much more enthralling.

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great info. There were some typos but it was an easy read about some cemeteries in the world. I wanted a little more in-depth coverage, but then the book would not have been able to cover 100 cemeteries.