According to a famous joke, no one will come out alive from an alteration called life. That is why most villages, not to mention cities, have their own cemeteries. Among them there are real giants, occupying vast areas and having a long history, in which millions of people are buried. However, only a few can answer the question of where the largest cemetery in the world is located, or which graveyard is considered the oldest of the existing ones.
Corraumor (County Sligo)
Before you find out which cemetery is the largest in the world, it is worth getting to know the oldest known mass grave site for people of the prehistoric period. According to scientists, such a title rightfully belongs to Corraumor, located in the county of Sligo in Northern Ireland. This cemetery is the oldest megalithic complex and covers an area of 4 km. 60 ancient burials were found on it, the oldest of which belongs to the Neolithic era. In other words, people began to bury people at the Korraumorsky cemetery before Stonehenge and the Egyptian pyramids appeared. Most tombs are dolmens made of stones of a certain shape, and the largest is a stone pyramid with a base diameter of 34 meters, called Listogil.
Cedron Valley (Jerusalem)
For many years, before the Nativity of Christ, one of the oldest graveyards of Judea, which is more than 3 thousand years old, was included in the category “The largest cemeteries in the world”. It is located in Jerusalem and is known as the Kidron Valley. Scientists estimate that at least one million people are buried there at the moment. It is interesting that this cemetery is operational, and to this day ceremonies for the burial of the deceased are being performed on it. At the same time, burial places are very, very expensive, moreover, they are sold for many years to come, because, according to the beliefs of Jews, Christians and Muslims, God's trial of Adam’s children will take place in the Kidron Valley. For this purpose, the Lord will go down there from the top of the Pancake Week Mountain and begin to send sinners to hell, and the righteous to heaven.
The Kedron Valley is often mentioned when they talk about the most amazing and beautiful cemeteries in the world, since there are several ancient churches and magnificent tombstones that are not one hundred years old on this territory.
Wadi al-Salaam (Al-Najaf)
It is in this city that those who seek the answer to the question of what is the largest cemetery in the world should go. It is located in southern Iraq, on the right bank of the Euphrates, and its population is about 900 thousand people. The city is considered sacred to Shiite Muslims and is visited annually by millions of pilgrims. The main attraction of Al Najaf is the cemetery of Wadi al-Salaam, whose name in translation sounds like "Death Valley". About 6 million people found refuge on its territory of 6 square kilometers, among which there are many Islamic saints and imams of Iraq. The burial density is an example of 1 square. m, which is contrary to generally accepted sanitary standards. At one time, UNESCO was going to include the Annajaf cemetery in the list of World Heritage Sites, but the American military command, which controlled the city, demanded to postpone the discussion of this issue.
Calvary (New York)
Of the graveyards of the Western Hemisphere in the list of "The largest cemeteries in the world", the leadership belongs to the Calvary cemetery. It is located in New York, and more than three million people are buried on it. It consists of 4 sectors located at a distance from each other, was founded in 1848 by the Roman Catholic Church. By the way, in the first half of the 20th century, prominent representatives of the mafia were buried on Calvary, some episodes of the famous film “The Godfather” by Francis Ford Coppola were also shot there.
Severnoe (Rostov-on-Don)
In the list of "The largest cemeteries in the world" there are also burial places located on the territory of our country. Moreover, the Northern cemetery of Rostov-on-Don is even listed in the famous Guinness Book of Records as the largest on the European continent. It occupies 350 hectares, and more than 355,000 people are buried there. The northern cemetery is relatively young: it will soon be 45 years old. On the territory of the churchyard there is the Church of the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary and a columbarium, and at the main entrance there is a Poklonnaya stone crowned with an Orthodox cross.
La Ricoleta (Buenos Aires)
Now that you know which places of eternal rest are categorized as “The largest cemeteries in the world”, it is worth saying a few words about the most beautiful of them. Among them, of course, is La Ricoleta. It is located on the South American continent, in the capital of Argentina. On its territory are luxurious crypts made of marble, reminiscent of mini-palaces. Many of them are decorated with statues sculpted by famous sculptors, others are excellent copies of the masterpieces of world art.
Pere Lachaise (Paris)
This cemetery is one of the most famous and most visited on the planet. It is enough to say that Napoleon Bonaparte, who signed the corresponding order in 1804, is considered to be its founder. A total of 30,000 people were buried in Pere Lachaise, including Oscar Wilde, Isidora Duncan, Balzac, Edith Piaf, Sarah Bernhardt and others. Famous representatives of the Russian emigration and some Decembrists found the last refuge there.
Maramures (Sepinza)
Many will probably be surprised to hear the epithet “funny” as applied to a cemetery. However, this nevertheless exists and is the main attraction of the village of Sapinets in the Romanian chef Maramures. Most of the wooden crosses of this rural churchyard were carved by local craftsman Stan Patrash, who decorated them with paintings in the style of naive art and provided comic epitaphs.
Now you know the largest cemeteries in the world and graveyards claiming to be the most luxurious, famous and even fun ones.
Death is the ending of the life of every person, therefore cemeteries should be considered as memorials dedicated to people who left this or that mark in the life of their family or even entire states.