Top 10 Cemeteries Around the World

Cemeteries are more than just places of remembrance—they are cultural landmarks that tell stories of history, art, politics, and human achievement. For those who love history and culture, these cemeteries are remarkable destinations to connect with the legacies of extraordinary lives. For locating these famous graves, most of the cemeteries listed should have maps in their office, but if not, Google Maps and websites like Find a Grave are your friend in that case!

1. Père Lachaise Cemetery (Paris, France)

This is the most visited cemetery in the world with over 3.5 million visitors annually as well as the largest cemetery in Paris. Known for its romantic atmosphere and artistic tombs, you can visit the final resting places of Oscar Wilde, Jim Morrison, Frédéric Chopin, Edith Piaf, and Marcel Proust.

2. Highgate Cemetery (London, England)

Famous for its Gothic architecture  with over 53,000 residents on the east and west side of the cemetery. Famous residents buried here include like Karl Marx, George Michael Peter Shaffer, and Douglas Adams.

3. Arlington National Cemetery (Virginia, USA)

America’s most famous military cemetery, where you can visit the graves of John F. Kennedy, Joe Louis, Ruth Bader Ginsberg, and John Glenn.

4. Central Cemetery (Vienna, Austria)

One of Europe’s largest cemeteries, home to music legends like Beethoven, Brahms, Strauss, and Schubert, and even more modern musicians like Falco. Aside from famous musicians, other graves include actress Hedy Lamar.

5. Westminster Abbey (London, England)

Ever since 1066, this church has been the site of many royal coronations, funerals and a burial site for several British monarchs. Aside from royalty, scientists are buried here including Charles Darwin, Isaac Newton, Stephen Hawking, and others in the renowned Poet’s Corner such as Charles Dickens, Rudyard Kipling and Laurence Olivier.

6. Hollywood Forever Cemetery (Los Angeles, USA)

Probably one of the most accessible cemeteries to visit, this one has some of the final resting places of some of Hollywood’s biggest legends including Judy Garland, Cecil B. DeMille, Johnny Ramone, and Chris Cornell.

7. St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 (New Orleans, USA)

This cemetery is only accessible via tours and must be pre-booked online. Known for its above-ground tombs and the grave of Marie Laveau, the “Voodoo Queen” as well as many other notable New Orleans figures. Nicolas Cage has a pyramid tomb waiting here as well.

8. Mount Pleasant Cemetery (Toronto, Canada)

This historic site in Canada is known for it’s large landscape, it’s large tree collection, and some very famous notable Canadians buried here including William Lyon Mackenzie King, Glenn Gould, Sir Frederick Banting, and Timothy Eaton.

9. The Panthéon (Paris, France)

France’s grand mausoleum honours some of the biggest personalities in France, including Voltaire, Rousseau, Victor Hugo, Émile Zola, and Marie Curie, symbolizing the nation’s gratitude to its greatest philosophers, writers and scientists.

10. Westwood Village Memorial Park (Los Angeles, USA)

While not as well-known as Hollywood Forever, this LA Cemetery also holds a number of famous resting places including Marilyn Monroe, Dean Martin, Natalie Wood, Truman Capote, Jack Lemmon, and Farrah Fawcett. Small but packed with cultural icons.

Final Thought

Visiting cemeteries is like visiting museums in a way as it can be a great learning experience. As you walk and look at the grave sites, you explore the names that are familiar, but also get a chance to explore some of the names that may not be so familiar. Trying to find the names on a map is a bit like finding secret locations on a map; they might be hard to find at first, but they’re well worth it in the end.