The Most Elaborate Tombstones From Around The World

3 years ago

1. Catacombs of San Francisco Monastery

Image Source/ PinterestThis is Catacombs of San Francisco Monastery, Lima, Peru, one of the most elaborate tombs in the world... and also one of the creepiest. This tomb is lined by thousands of bodies and skeletons line the tomb. The first Spanish dictionary also now lies here.

2. Peter and Paul Fortress

Image Source/ WikimediacommonsThis is the Peter and Paul Fortress in St Petersburg, Russia. It belongs to Peter the Great of Russia and Paul the Russian Tsar. They are amongst the 41 buried there each with their very own grand tomb built in marble and gold. Their remains stay inside them.

3. Cyrus the Great

Image Source/ TripadvisorHere lies the tomb of Cyrus the Great who was first king of the Achaemenid Empire as well as founder of Pasargadae - the capital. This structure has survived 25 centuries which even aside from its impressive appearance and history, makes it one of the most impressive tombs in the world.

4. John Paul Jones’ Crypt

Image Source/ WikipediaJohn Paul Jones is knows as the father of the American navy. He had many victories within the American Navy, but once this was over his opportunities were lacking and so he then joined the Russian Imperial Navy and eventually retired in Paris. He died there and was buried in this cemetery belonging to the French Royal family.

5. Davis Memorial

Image Source/ WikipediaThe Davises were a farming family from Kansas, and a very successful one with a lot of acquired wealth. His wife Sarah passed away leaving husband John distraught with grief. At first she had a simple head stone, and as years went by John gradually added more and more statues to her memorial until the whole thing was worth a fortune.

6. Panteón de San Miguel Cemetery

Image Source/ atlasobscuraIf you want to see some of the most elaborate tombs ever then it is worth a visit to the Panteón de San Miguel Cemetery in Mexico. There are a whole host of different styles of tombs each with different decorations, but all equally as elaborately designed or detailed.

7. Jules Verne’s Tomb

Image Source/ atlasobscuraJules Vernes was one of the creators of science fiction, and so this grave (if you can even call it that) is very fitting. It is very dark but also beautiful at the same time and it depicts Vernes himself breaking out of the stone. His tombstone reads “Towards Immortality and Eternal Youth”.

8. Willet Babcock’s grave

Image Source/ atlasobscuraUsually graves are erected after a death, but not in the case of Willet Babcock. Before he died he ordered an impressive memorial to be made by the infamous stonecutter, Gustave Klein. And of course, it had to have a Texas twist - Jesus is wearing cowboy boots.

9. Lycian Rock Tombs

Image Source/ atlasobscuraIn Fethiye, Turkey, there are these totally impressive tom structures carved into the sides of cliffs. Many of the tombs date back to the 4th century. As you can see they are guarded by huge and impressive entryways with have been intricately designed with tall Romanesque columns.

10. Captain Scott and his men's cairn

Image Source/ atlasobscuraCaptain Robert Falcon Scott went on an expedition with his party and vanished into the snows. They were intended on going to the South Pole to the return again. However no-one returned and their bodies were eventually found but not moved. Instead, they built a cairn over their bodies.

11. Enrique Torres Belón

BImage Source/ atlasobscuraelón was an engineer and architect and so it makes sense that he designed himself a very elaborate tomb. He designed and built his very own tomb (mid-20th century) along with his wife, so that they could rest together connected to the church in the centre of the town.

12. Mrs. Chippy Monument

Image Source/ culturetripMrs. Chippy was a cat who used to keep the people of the Shackleton expedition company whilst on ships, because early polar exploration was extremely lonely. She made their days brighter and a bronze statue was made for her after she was shot when she became trapped in the ice.

13. Circus Train Wreck Victims Memorial

Image Source/ atlasobscuraThe Con T. Kennedy Carnival Show had finished their successful week of performances in Atlanta. In 1915, the Kennedy show train just left the station and a few hours later it collided with another steel train. All of the Kennedy performers in the sleeping wagons were trapped and many, many of them died.

14. The Grave of Tom Thumb

Image Source/ atlasobscuraNow is Tom Thumb real? No-one really knows. It could just be a story of folklore. But then again, these tales are often based on some fact. Whether he was or not, there is a grave of Tom Thumb. This very tiny grave stone found in Tattershall, Lincoln.

15. William G. Bruce’s Grave

Image Source/ atlasobscuraWilliam G. Bruce’s lived in the Town of Mont Vernon along with his family who had deep roots there. He was an avid hunter and very well known in the area. He died whilst hunting alone in 1883. His wife commissioned a great tomb stone which included his dog that did not leave his side.

16. The Tomb of Jane Griffith

Image Source/ atlasobscura

This elaborate tomb of Jane Griffith shows a family, domestic scene with a tragic ending. It depicts Charles Griffith saying goodbye to his wife Jane at their family home. It shows Charles about to set off to work. When Charles returned home from work, he found his wife who was dead from heart failure.

17. The U.S. government’s first official camel rider's grave

Image Source/ atlasobscuraThis elaborate tomb stands in place to commemorate Hi Jolly, a camel rider. During the mid-1800s a lot of southwestern America was uninhabited desert. So, the government used camel drivers to cross the desert and carry goods. One of these was Hi Jolly who became known for being exceptional.

18. Grave of Joseph Palmer

Image Source/ untappedamericaIn the 1820s Joseph Palmer became famous for having a long beard which at the time was considered 'ungodly'. He was attacked by locals who tried to pin him down and cut his beard. He ended up being jailed for fighting against them. He infamously stated that Jesus had a beard just like his. Now his beard is proudly engraved into his tombstone.

19. Mausoleum of Che Guevara

Image Source/ culturetripChe Guevara is seen a very controversial figure, but to many in Cuba he is considered a hero. This is his tomb stone that was built for him. He has been built as a bronze statue which is overlooking a grand parade in front of him as he stands on his pedestal.

20. Viking Tombstone

Image Source/ atlasobscuraThis is one of the oldest and most elaborate tombstones in existence and it resides in St Pauls church in the Museum of London. The stone slab is adorned with patterns which are believed to have originated in medieval Norway and it has been dated right back to the 11th century.

21. The Merchant Family's Sphere

Image Source/ atlasobscura

The Merchant family were a very prominent family of industrialists. They lived and worked in Ohio. This sphere was erected in 1896 to commemorate Charles Merchant. After a while the ball started to spin. People tried to stop it but it continued to spin and nobody knew how...

22. Nicholas Cage's pyramid grave

Image Source/ atlasobscuraNicholas Cage purchased a plot in St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 - a famous cemetery. First of all, it is considered a strange move to buy yourself a grave stone. Secondly, people were questioning this very elaborate choice. He purchased the plot in the famous and had a nine-foot-tall stone pyramid built for himself.

23. Harry L. Collins

Image Source/ atlasobscuraHarry L. Collins was a magician, a musician as well as the well known snack salesman hence the name he was often known by - Mr. Frito-Lay man. In 1970, Frito-Lay named him Mr. Magic so that he officially became their corporate magician. He traveled across the world. Now, he is honoured by his statue on his grave.

34. McMillin Mausoleum

Image source/ tuckehouse innThis was named for John S. McMillin, who was a Freemason, Methodist, and a business man for lime works. The interesting form of the tomb is supposed to represent the members of the McMillin family all gathered around a dinner table. There is one space thought to be his son who turned his back on God.

25. Florence Irene Ford

Image source/ mediumFlorence Irene Ford died at the young age of 10. Her mother requested for her to ave a window and a set of stairs leading to her tomb. The request had a special meaning. Her daughter was afraid of storms and her mother would have to sit and comfort her for hours and she wanted to be able to do so in death also.

26. Colonel Woolridge’s grave yard

Image Source/ gravescanThis elaborate grave is as big as small cemetery. But, it is the grave of Colonel Henry G. Wooldridge. It was built for several years before his death in 1899. It was built to show the loved ones that he had lost throughout his lifetime - including his mother, sisters and his horse.

27. Haserot's Angel

Image Source/ atlasobscuraThis has to be one of the most famous and elaborate cemetery statues, and it is is the “The Angel of Death Victorious” which belongs to Francis Haserot. It is an angel cast in bronze, weeping black tears from its eyes, and an upside torch which symbolises extinguished life.

28. Victor Noir's tombstone

Image source/ amusingplanet

Victor Noir was a political journalist in the 19th-century. He was shot during a duel with Prince Pierre Bonaparte in the year 1870. He then became a martyr and a symbol for the republic. He had the elaborate grave built for him representing himself lay down in death.

29. Rope Walker's grave

Image Source/ inadventureRope Walker...as is implied in the name became known by his proffession rather than his real nam. And, so hence the name he was a tightrope walker and he died in 1884 after one of his stunts walking across a rope tied between two streets went wrong. It may not look elaborate but the towns people came together to bury him in in the Hebrew Cemetery of Corsicana with a circle of white marble.

30. The grave of Revolutionary War Battle

Image Source/ atlasobscuraThis statue represents Minerva, the Roman goddess of wisdom. It was placed to grieve those lost in battle. Her hand is outstretched to reciprocate the Statue of Liberty which is placed exactly 3.5 miles away. They look to one another and even still now, their gaze remains unobstructed.

31. Mel Blanc in Hollywood Forever Cemetery

Image Source/ atlasobscuraRemember Mel Blanc? The iconic voice of Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, and Porky Pig. This cartoon icon was buried in Hollywood Forever cemetery. And although he does not have the most elaborate grave in the world his epitaph reads the beloved line: “That’s all, folks!”

32. The Grave Of Miss Baker

Image Soure / Atlas ObscuraMiss Baker was actually a monkey, who was bought by NASA with the intention of flying into space. Miss Baker did so successfully, and was the first primate to come back alive from a journey to outer space. After her legendary trip to space, Miss Baker passed away at the age of 27 - also being the longest-living squirrel monkey on record.

33. The Cursed Grave Of Colonel Buck

Image Soure / Atlas ObscuraColonel Jonathan Buck was responsible for executing a 'witch' in the early days of the town of Bucksport - of which he was also the founder. Before she died, the witch cursed Buck to always 'bear the mark' of what he'd done. The story goes that her leg fell from her body as she was being burned, and there is now a leg-shaped stain on the granite stone of Colonel Buck's grave.

34. The Gravestone Of Utah's First 'Jedi' Priest

Image Soure / Atlas ObscuraLocated in Valley View Memorial Park, Utah, is a small plaque that would be like a lot of other gravestones if it wasn't for the reference to Star Wars on its front. The grave belongs to Steven Ford, who was the very first ordained Jedi priest in Utah - the text reads "MAY THE FORCE BE WITH YOU - ALWAYS".

35. The Ämari Pilots Cemetery

Image Soure / Atlas ObscuraBased in Estonia is this pilot's graveyard, where Soviet airmen are laid to rest. What makes their gravestones unique is the aircraft fins buried into the top of their graves - and likely to be the fins of the very aircrafts they died in. This is in dedication to those Russian pilots who died while Estonia was part of the Eastern Bloc.

36. The Tomb Of Kazanlak

Image Source / Taxi Transfers BulgariaThis elaborate tomb dates from the 4th century BCE, and is presumed to belong to an important chief of a the Odrysae tribe, which occupied what is now central Bulgaria. The tomb is shaped like a traditional tapered dome 'beehive', and the tomb is divided into three areas: the antechamber, the main burial chamber and a corridor connecting the two.

37. Mausoleum Of The First Qin Emperor

Image Source / SmarthistoryThe first Qin emperor of China was responsible for unifying China into one single political entity. One of the most impressive things he ever did was the design of his own burial chamber - not so much a chamber but what looks like a whole community complex. The tombs of these Chinese emperors or officials were meant to reflect their life on earth.

38. The Mausoleum Of Sun Yat-sen

Image Source / Visit Our ChinaThe tomb belongs to the man considered to be the father of modern China. He requested to be buried in Nanjing, China, but the actual decadence and elaborate design of his tomb was not something he planned for himself. The tomb has the appearance of a bell from an aerial viewpoint.

39. The Kom el-Shoqafa Catacombs

Image Source / Egypt Best VacationsLocated in Alexandria, Egypt, a labyrinth of catacombs were accidentally discovered one day when a man and his donkey stumbled into a hole in the path. This might have started as a private family tomb, but it soon developed into a huge complex of catacombs. The lavish decorations in the catacombs are a blend of ancient Egyptian and Greco-Roman.

40. Tutankhamun's Tomb

Image Source / World AtlasPossibly one of the most famous of tombs around the world, Egyptian king Tut and his burial mask are recognisable to most people from many different cultures. The tomb is located in the Valley of the Kings near Luxor, Egypt. The tomb itself contained elaborate treasures and Egyptian artifacts.

41. Napolean Bonaparte's Tomb

Image Source / Discover WalksIt's unsurprising that the famous French military leader would have such a lavish tomb in his memory, as the man himself had high ambitions. The tomb was actually completed 40 years after his death, due to problems with getting Bonaparte to his final resting place. He died in exile, first buried on the island he was exiled to, and then had to get permission for his remains to be returned to France. He even then had a temporary tomb before his final resting place.

42. The Headstone Of The Gay Veteran

Image Source / RedditThe headstone of Leonard Matlovich was personally designed by the man himself. It includes the famous quote, as well as pink triangles which are in reference to the shape Nazis would use to mark out gays in concentration camps. Leonard did not want the headstone to bear his name, as he wanted it to serve as a memorial to all gay veterans.

43. The Macedonian Royal Tombs

Image Source / Alaturka.InfoIn 1977, a number of tombs were discovered by Greek archaeologist Manolis Andronicos. The tombs revealed golden chests, emblems of the Macedonian royal family and the remains of more than one person. The tomb also contains elaborate wall paintings and artifacts.

44. The Quṭb Shāhī Tombs

Image Source / WikipediaThese are the tombs of rulers in the 16th century, near Golconda in India. The royal tombs are within a lavish garden close to Golconda - a famous fort from their time - and the entire dynasty was buried here, apart from two members of the dynasty who instead died in exile. Each tomb has a dome resting on a cube with elaborate ornamentation.

45. The Grave Of W.B. Yeats

Image Source / RootsWebW.B. Yeats is one of the greatest known poets in Ireland, which is also where his grave is located. Fans of the poet continue to flock to his gravesite in Drumcliff. Yeats chose the grave spot himself, as well as what the headstone should be made of, and including an epitaph from one of his poems.

46. Newgrange: The Finest European Grave To Come Out Of The Stone Age

Image Source / BBCIt's actually not know who built this famous grave. The mound of stones is located in the Boyne Valley in Ireland. It measures around 80 meters in diameter and is 40 feet high. It was also later bordered by a ring of around 35 standing stones, but only 12 of those remain. The stones also include complicated patterns cut into them.

47. The Medici Tombs

Image Source / ArtTravThe Medici family was one of the most powerful in Italy for over three centuries. The tombs in Florence were commissioned by Giovanni di Bicci de’ Medici himself. Understandably, the tombs are there to show off the wealth and influence of one of the most powerful families of this time.

48. The Tomb Of St. Anthony

Image Source / Santantonio.orgSt. Anthony was the patron saint of Padua (Italy) and was born in Lisbon, Portugal. Following his death, his tomb quickly became a site of pilgrimage. Due to the amount of pilgrims arriving to pay their respects, an elaborate basilica was built for the tomb, and St Anthony's body was moved there around 30 years after his death.

49. The Tomb of Muḥammad I Askia

Image Source / UNESCO World Heritage CentreThe first Songhai emperor, Muḥammad I Askia, actually went on a pilgrimage to collect the earth and wood that would be needed to build his own tomb. It apparently took thousands of camels to carry it all. The tomb stands about 50 feet high, and is roughly a pyramid with many different wooden poles stuck into it. The tomb was later chosen as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

50. The Tomb of Jahāngīr

Image Source / PinterestThe owner of this tomb was a Mughal emperor. The tomb itself is an elaborate piece of architecture that is meant to reflect the wealth and power of the Mughal dynasty. The tomb itself was commissioned by the emperor's son to commemorate his father's life. The tomb is located in a large garden, surrounded by high walls.

51. The Grave of Robert Louis Stevenson

Image Source / Wikimedia CommonsStevenson was the famous author of stories such as Treasure Island and Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. He hailed from Scotland, but his grave is actually located in Mount Vaea, Samoa. This is because Stevenson, although passionate about his homeland, had a second home later in his life. He left Britain and settled on Upolu, a Samoan island. When he died, the locals carried him to his final resting place on Mount Vaea.