The Mount of Olives, Israel - the all important Jewish burial
Image Source/ Reddit
According to Tourist Israel, the Mount of Olives has been used as a cemetery continuously from ancient times, and that over 150,000 Jewish people have been buried there. The cemetery is nearly 3,000 years old, which makes it a pretty cool, historic resting site.
Okunoin Cemetery, Japan - Japan's biggest cemetery
Image Source/ Reddit
Luckily for you, this is Japan's biggest cemetery, meaning there might just be some space when you're laid to rest! Among the more than 200,000 tombstones that poke out the ground, it's also the last resting place of Kobo Daishi, the founder of Shingon Buddhism.
Hanging Coffins of Sagada, the Philippines - the boost to afterlife
Image Source/ Reddit
Echo Valley, Sagada is home to the wooden coffins of the indigenous Kankanaey people hanging from the sides of cliffs. The deceased's coffin is either stored in a cave or spectacularly hanging from the rock. It's believed that doing so acts as a spiritual boost for them to reach the afterlife quicker.
Burial Spirit Houses, AK, USA - pretty, little coffins
Image Source/ Atlas Obscura
The little settlement of Eklutna, home to Old St. Nicholas Orthodox Church, also boasts a cemetery containing many enormous, brilliantly colored dollhouses. The Dena'ina are indigenous to Alaska and their religious system, which includes spirit homes, was influenced by the Russian Orthodox missionaries who came to the region in the 1830s.
New Lucky Restaurant, India - eating with the dead
Image Source/ OpIndia
The New Lucky Restaurant in India is the place to go if you've ever wanted to eat in the company of the dead! An ancient cemetery was discovered during construction, but rather than unsettle the angry spirits, they constructed around them and incorporated them into the restaurant.
Neptune Memorial Reef, Key Biscayne, FL, USA - an underwater burial
Image Source/ Reddit
Several miles off the coast of Florida lies the Neptune Memorial Reef. It was built at a depth of forty feet below the ocean's surface to give the impression of a long-lost underwater metropolis. It's different from other cemeteries on this list in that the deceased are cremated, and the ashes are mixed with the concrete and buried beside the memorials.
Merry Cemetery, Romania - laughing until death
Image Source/ Go Eat Give
Stan Ioan Pătraş, the carver and painter of crosses, opted to engrave hilariously honest poetry instead of the typical epitaphs on a tombstone. The Romanian cemetery got its nickname "The Merry Cemetery" when the humorous carvings were added to the crosses.
Tulcán Municipal Cemetery, Ecuador - rest among the super cool hedges
Image Source/ Atlas Obsucra
Although well trimmed hedges are common in cemeteries, the ones in Tulcán Municipal Cemetery are certainly art! In 1985, the cemetery's custodian, Josè Mara Azael Franco Guerrero, was laid to rest there with the inscription, "A cemetery so beautiful, it invites one to die."
Highgate Cemetery, UK - grab yourself a super cool grave
Image Source/ Reddit
Highgate Cemetery was founded in 1839, but according to the Highgate website, it almost disappeared until serious restoration measures were launched in 1975 - it would've been a goner otherwise! New graves are added to the ancient site regularly, so you're in luck if you want to be buried there!
Panteón Antiguo, Mexico - rest here for an annual awakening
Image Source/ Local MX
This cemetery is super cool because, in honor of the Day of the Dead festivities, they awaken on Halloween night. Villagers dress up graves with orange Mexican marigolds, candles, figurines, and food on November 1 and 2 to greet the ghosts. It truly is a special experience!
Pere Lachaise, France - get buried with the French greats
Image Source/ Reddit
In Paris, France, Pere Lachaise Cemetery isn't as out-of-the-ordinary as some of the others on our list. Instead, the coolness of this cemetery is because it contains the graves of many famous people, from Jim Morrison to Oscar Wilde Gifts are often left for the most famous departed!
Maqbaratoshara, Iran - a poet's tomb
Image Source/ Wikidata
This is good news for all the linguists out there! Poets and mystics have been laid to rest on the site for over 800 years, but the mausoleum wasn't constructed until the mid-1970s. About four hundred poets are buried in the spacious, contemporary structure.
Calvary Cemetery, NY, USA - a post-death view of the Manhattan skyline
Image Source/ Reddit
Who wouldn't love a view like this in their afterlife? According to the Calvary website, about 1.7 million people are buried in the cemetery's vast 365 acres. It was established in 1848, and it is noted that many prominent New York Catholics are buried there. What a fab place to be buried!
Ben & Jerry’s Flavor Graveyard, VT, USA - RIP to all the flavors
Image Source/ Reddit
Ben & Jerry's is always releasing new flavors, but not all of them are successful. The ice cream factory is humble in the way that they remember the discontinued flavors: a graveyard for ice cream.
Some flavors that died out too soon due to lack of appeal include Crème Brûlée, Wild Maine Blueberry, and Dublin Mudslide!
Hollywood Forever Cemetery, CA, USA - a grave fit for the big screen
Image Source/ Reddit
If you're interested in resting with the likes of Hollywood greats like Cecil B. DeMille and Jayne Mansfield, this is the one for you! According to urban legend, Hollywood's first loverboy is still mourned by a mysterious "Woman in Black" who prowls the cemetery at night. In the summer, Hollywood Forever hosts outdoor film screenings and music in addition to honoring famous actors and actresses who have passed away.
Greyfriars Kirkyard, UK - guarded against the grave robbers
Image Source/ Reddit
In Edinburgh, Scotland, this cemetery is notable for its unusual design and layout. One of the most intriguing aspects of this location is that it has graves that are guarded by mortsafes, which is used to protect graves from disturbance of evil robbers!
Waverley Cemetery, Australia - overlooking the bay
Image Source/ Reddit
Ever wanted to be buried with a view of the sea? Well, now's your chance! This seaside cemetery was founded in 1877 and occupies about 40 acres of land with 50,000 burial plots. It's a great stop when in Waverely and an even better place to be laid to rest.
Cementerio Municipal, Chile - a wealthy burial
Image Source/ Reddit
This enormous Chilean cemetery is the last resting place for many rich families, including successful businesswoman Sara Braun. She reportedly paid to have the cemetery's main entrance repaired, and then asked to be the last person to enter through it. That door has remained locked ever since. Unfortunately, not one where you can be buried now!
Chiesa Dei Morti, Italy - rest still in the church of the dead
Image Source/ Reddit
Chiesa dei Morti literally translates to "Church of the Dead." Several hundred mummies serve as guards inside this cathedral. The Brotherhood of Good Death is responsible for maintaining the mummies and providing tours to hundreds of visitors each year.
Trinity Church Cemeteries, NY, USA - rest among the NY skyline
Image Source/ Reddit
Trinity Church is odd because it's located between modern office towers on Wall Street, but it itself has been around since 1697. The cemetery is modest, but it's also steeped in history, and it's a nice break from the hustle and bustle of lower Manhattan.
Arlington National Cemetery, VA, USA - an honorable burial
Image Source/ Reddit
Arlington National Cemetery was established in 1863, during the height of the Civil War, to provide more burial space for fallen troops. Since 1864, when it was declared a military cemetery, it has belonged to the United States Army. More than 400 thousand people are buried there now.
Oakland Cemetery, GA, USA - a picturesque burial
Image Source/ Reddit
Oakland Cemetery came about in the 1850s to cope with Atlanta's expanding population, but its size really blossomed during the Civil War. After the war, the 48-acre cemetery became a popular tourist attraction and has become a welcome oasis of greenery in the heart of Atlanta's revitalization.
Lafayette Cemetery, LA, USA - get yourself a cool gravestone
Image Source/ Reddit
There are so many stunning cemeteries in New Orleans, but the Lafayette Cemetery No. 1 is the most well-known. According to the official tourist website for New Orleans, the cemetery is home to more than 500 wall vaults and has been around since 1833. What a cool place to be buried!
The Old Jewish Cemetery, Czechia - an overcrowded burial site
Image Source/ Reddit
According to the Jewish Museum in Prague, the Old Jewish Cemetery's narrow appearance is due to the city's historical scarcity of Jewish burial grounds. The Jewish had to bury their dead on top of one another because of limited burial space. The year 1439 was the first time a person was buried there.
Granary Burying Ground, MA, USA - resting among the great
Image Source/ Reddit
Almost 5,000 people have been buried in Granary since its formation in 1660. The historical importance of Granary is cemented by the fact that, in addition to Paul Revere, such notable figures as Samuel Adams, John Hancock, and Robert Treat Paine are buried there.
St Louis Cemetery No 1., La, USA - Nic Cage's nine-foot pyramid
Image Source/ Reddit
St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 embodies the spirited history of Homer Plessy and Marie Laveau, the famed Voodoo queen. Unfortunately, due to damage, the only way to see the cemetery's elaborate mausoleums and above-ground tombs is by a guided tour. Nicolas Cage will be laid to rest in a nine-foot pyramid here.
Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery, CA, USA - pointing to the sea
Image Source/ Expedia
Fort Rosecrans is located in a gorgeous waterfront location overlooking San Diego Bay. Over 112,000 servicemen and women, including hundreds of Medal of Honor winners, are buried here, with most burial markers pointing out to sea. The cemetery stopped admitting new graves in May of 2014, so unfortunately it's full!
Crown Hill Cemetery, IN, USA - buried on Marion County's highest peak
Image Source/ Reddit
Crown Hill is the third-largest privately owned cemetery in the United States. There are more than 200,000 graves and tombs inside its 555 acres. Marion County's highest peak provides breathtaking panoramas of the Indianapolis skyline and is well worth the trip (or the burial!).
Green-Wood Cemetery, NY, USA - buried at a historic site
Image Source/ Brooklyn Eagle
This cemetery was established in 1838 and has since become the last resting place for several prominent personalities in American history, housing up to 560,000 graves. Birdwatchers and anyone interested in the American Revolution make up the bulk of its visitors.
Mountain View Cemetery, CA, USA - a view of San Fran bay
Image Source/ Reddit
Mountain View Cemetery is situated on 226 picturesque acres with views of the whole San Francisco Bay. In an area known as Millionaire's Row, prospectors may find some of the richest households in all of California. Domingo Ghirardelli, Henry J. Kaiser and Glenn Burke.