Walking around the cemetery? Imagine yes. In Western Europe, there is a tradition to set up beautiful parks in the resting place of people. Such cemeteries do not at all look like gloomy Orthodox churchyards with rows of crosses. They are nice to walk on. The atmosphere involuntarily sets thoughts in a philosophical way. But Arlington National Cemetery (United States of America) is not exactly a park. There are no sprawling plane trees here, as in the Parisian Pere Lachaise. You will not see here in large quantities and beautiful tomb sculptures, family crypts and other "small architectural forms", as in most ancient cemeteries in Europe. The space of two and a half square kilometers is occupied by identical vertically standing white plates with inscriptions. But nevertheless, this cemetery is one of the "must see" for tourists coming to Washington. Why? You will learn about this from this article.
Arlington National Cemetery: History
Once upon a time there was an estate of the we althy Custis family. Maria Anna, marrying General Robert Lee, received him as a dowry. The couple lived and lived at Arlington House until the Confederate War broke out. President Abraham Lincoln commissioned General Lee to lead the northern troops. The same, although he was an opponent of slavery and advocated the preservation of the Union, could not oppose the state of Virginia. Therefore, he went over to the side of the southerners. Washington by that time was already an overpopulated city. There was not enough space to bury Unionists who fell in battle. Then Brigadier General Montgomery Meigs put forward a proposal to confiscate the land from the traitor Lee. This is how Arlington National Cemetery was born. The first burials began in 1865, right in the rose garden of Maria Anna, at the very entrance to the house. The calculation was such as to prevent the spouses from returning to the estate after the war.
Turn into a national memorial
By the end of the Civil War, there were already about sixteen thousand graves around the house. The couple filed a lawsuit, which was granted by the US Supreme Court. But General Lee decided to sell the house for one hundred and fifty thousand dollars. And the government decided to turn the Arlington National Cemetery, where not only soldiers, but also residents of the surrounding area were buried during the Civil War, into a Memorial of Glory. In the Code of Federal Regulations of the United States of America (paragraph 553, article 2), a section on the rules of burial was introduced. Rather,it was an exclusive list of categories of persons who could be honored with burial at Arlington Cemetery. These are the presidents of the country, soldiers who fell in battle, the military of the US Armed Forces, Chief Justices and those individuals who have been awarded the Medals of Honor, the Silver Star, the Purple Heart and the Distinguished Service Cross.
Celebrities of Arlington National Cemetery
Now "the population of the city of the dead" is more than forty thousand people. In addition, the cemetery is still in operation. Every day there are about thirty funerals. The deceased is transported in a hearse, accompanied by an equestrian costumed escort. The funeral procession, as well as the changing of the guard of honor at the tomb of the unknown soldier, are the main tourist attractions. But if the last ceremony (introduced in 1921) remains for centuries, then burials will cease in 2025. And Arlington National Cemetery will be turned into a memorial. Already, there is a rule that excludes the burial of those who committed serious crimes. It was introduced in 2001 after it turned out that retired military man Timothy Macway, who was executed for committing a terrorist attack, has every right to be buried in Arlington Cemetery. The lion's share of the graves is the last resting place of the military. But there are also notable exceptions. For example, Glenn Miller. His grave under the tombstone is empty - after all, the body of a jazz musician was never found. Astronauts, actors, and a well-known cardiac surgeon found peace here. Not speaking aboutUS politicians.
What Arlington National Cemetery (Virginia) looks like now
The lion's share of the graves are the same small tombstones. But they are located in such a way that from any point of view they form perfectly regular straight lines. Given the hilly terrain, this was not easy to achieve. US presidents and their families, as well as the very first "settlers" of the cemetery, have special privileges. Their graves stand out for their originality. There are also equestrian monuments. The rules allow you to indicate on the gravestones the symbols of the religion of the buried. At Arlington Cemetery, you can conduct statistical research on the religions of the world. Here you can even see a pentacle - a symbol of the new-pagan religion of Vika. The city of the dead has its avenues and streets. The cemetery administration promises to release an application for mobile phones to search for graves soon. In the meantime, at the intersections there are ordinary signs to significant places.
What to see at Arlington National Cemetery
Here, two US presidents found peace - John F. Kennedy and William Taft. Previously, statesmen were buried in other significant memorial places. But after Kennedy's assassination, his widow Jacqueline decided that people should visit her beloved president. She is also buried next to her husband, as are two of John's brothers, Ted and Bob. An eternal flame burns on Kennedy's grave. What else is attractive Arlington Nationalcemetery? Arlington House, the former estate of the Lee couple, still dominates the hill. It offers great views of Washington DC. Arlington House operates as a museum. Nearby is the old part of the cemetery with beautiful tombstones. It is also necessary to visit the Memorial Amphitheater, built of white marble. On the days of Remembrance and Veterans, solemn ceremonies are held in it with the participation of the president and other government officials. Next to the Memorial Amphitheater is the grave of an unknown soldier who fell in the First World War. In front of her are three more plates. These are the graves of unknown soldiers from the Second World, Korean and Vietnam Wars.
How to get there
The starting point is best to choose the city of Washington. Arlington National Cemetery, although it is listed in the state of Virginia, is located from it directly across the Potomac River. Motorists should cross the South-North Reconciliation Bridge. There is a blue metro line from Washington DC. The station is called Arlington National Cemetery.
Reviews
Tourists recommend devoting a couple of hours to this attraction. Entrance to the cemetery is absolutely free. For a fee, you can take a bus with an open top platform. It runs throughout the territory, making stops at significant places of the cemetery. You can also book a guided tour.
