Nothing like a good walk or run through a graveyard to make one feel alive! Since I was in Philly anyway for the weekend, I have been longing to take a walk in Laurel Hill. It's been a while, and one of my favorite places. Visting Laurel Hill evokes a bygone era when cemeteries were built intentionally in scenic areas, and vistas, where loved ones or visitors would come to walk the grounds, not in mourning but to see the wondrous architecture and peaceful landscapes and visiting passed on family. I love cemeteries. You may recall when I lived in Bucks County, the original Casa du Borghese was next door to a very old one. I never minded them. Philadelphia's Laurel Hill though is one of America's most notable burial grounds founded back in 1836 and was established as a bucolic alternative where the living could bury their dearly departed. The place sits high above the Schuylkill River and has been designated a "National Landmark" the first graveyard in the country to receive such a title. Every season is quite beautiful there, and the cemetery in parts reads like a who's who of notable figures from Thomas McKean, a signer of the Declaration of Independance, to Sarah Josephs Hale, credited with making Thanksgiving a national holiday and the author of Mary Had a Little Lamb, to Matthais Baldwin, the locomotive magnate, General George Meade and other Civil War generals, a handful of Titanic passengers, many artist and architects, and many families of the socialite scene. It was a beautiful weekend for a visit. Is it any wonder this was a perfect spot for some quiet and peace after a busy weekend? The people there are always so quiet.
I love being a taphophile.
Great photos! I love walking through old cemeteries, too. The old mausoleums intrigue me the most!
ReplyDeleteThose are nice photos. I'll admit we don't have anything that elaborate in the cemetery I'll eventually end up in.
ReplyDeleteI find cemeteries very peaceful; even the headstones, which can be interesting to read, and the design of mausoleums, is beautiful.
ReplyDeleteThen I suspect you'd love this cemetery. You can easily spend an afternoon here exploring.
DeleteThere's something special about walking through cemeteries.
ReplyDeleteYou walk through a cemetery and realize how lucky one is to be alive, especially when you come across graves of people born the same year as your own.
ReplyDeleteOr you think of grandparents or other elder relatives you dearly miss, who lived long lives. And then you see the graves of infants, children, teenagers, young and middle aged adults and you feel how unfair it is for their lives to be cut short, and weren’t your own relatives very fortunate to have lived long lives.
It puts one’s grief for deceased loved ones in perspective quick.
The tombstones run from simple to elaborate. I’ve seen one of an Armenian man decorated with Mt Ararat in relief, a Hungarian couple with the cross and crown of St Isztvan, a teenagers tomb with a skateboard, and inside the columbarium, the ash reliquary of a child in the form of three dolphins, and another with a photo of a Hispanic woman taken when she was young in the 1940’s and looking like a movie star.
Cemeteries are verdent, peaceful places that make one think and reflect.
-Rj
I agree with everything you said. The memorial do tell a story of the person at rest. I still go to my grandmother's grave, where my grandfather is also buried, along with some of my mother's siblings and aunt and uncles. I go almost every Christmas and Easter with flowers, clean the stones with a whisk and sometimes have a pew. I wonder if many still visit passed on family members? I think I get it from my family always doing so, but it seems to be something more the old guard does anymore.
DeleteDarling Mistress,
ReplyDeleteYes, we can confess to being taphophiles too. We particularly like to visit Kerepesi Cemetery in Budapest which is very similar to the one you show here at Laurel Hill. The architecture and tombstones are magnificent and, as you say, it is a place of peace and calm in a very troubled world, On the 1st. November, the tombstones of the most famous at Kerepesi are opened and one can walk inside these often vast buildings. Composers, singers, politicians and aristocrats are all buried there and the most marvellous Plane trees provide shade on hot summer days and glorious autumn colour right now.
Oh dear! When I get back, I will have to go have a look see myself! Yes these places are indeed filled with peace and calm. Laurel Hill always reminded me a bit of La Recoleta Cemetery on my visit to Argentina years ago...a cemetery located in the Recoleta neighborhood of Buenos Aires. It contains the graves of notable people, including Eva Perón, one of many reasons and interests that drew me to Buenos Aires, and one of my favorite cities.
DeleteLove the pics!
ReplyDeleteYou've got an eye, Mads. And I think cemeteries to be totally calming. Really. Those could be the most paceful places in the world.
XOXO
A nice one, not the first time you have heard that this month. You did succeed at sending me to Google.
ReplyDeleteSuch opulent architecture for memorials to the dead; some of them rather grand guignol - especially the one of the woman with her cloak draped over one stone coffin, and lifting the lid of another to reveal a gory face looking out! Jx
ReplyDeleteThat is one of my favorites. And many of these memorials have a story to go with them on the person or family buried there, on why the memorials were created. Agnes makes a mention of one of the more famous memorials there. One I have seen before here. But I never knew the story till she posted today.
DeleteA great place to spend a beautiful autumn day!
ReplyDeleteEvery visitor to the Philadelphia area should plan on visiting this necropolis. I too love it there. A couple years ago I was part of a quartet, and we played a late-night concert there. That was a pretty cool night.
ReplyDeleteI have not been to this cemetery in years, shame on me because it is a very pretty place to get out of the city too, but have known about it all my life. I remember one day I just had to see it for myself. The winding paths through the tightly packed monuments is alluring, and the monuments fascinating. Although we did find a few that were unusual (Adrien Balboa and Paulie from the Rocky movies). The view overlooking Kelly Drive toward the city was awesome.
ReplyDeleteI know some people get creeped out by cemeteries, but not sure why, when some like this one are so pretty and interesting. The mausoleums in this one are spectacular.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful cemetery!!!!! This was a fantastic place to visit for a autumn afternoon for some quality time outdoors and to take in the beauty of the headstones/nature. I would love to walk this one. A timely post to at that.
ReplyDeleteI have always liked visiting Laurel Hill when we used to live close to it. I was so taken by it ,I did research once on the place. While researching the relocation of St. John’s Cemetery to Laurel Hill for the Ben Franklin Bridge, I stumbled upon the Helena Schaaff Saunders Memorial. It’s a heartbreaking yet beautiful tribute created by her husband, after she and their newborn twins tragically passed away during childbirth.The sculpture, known as the "Mother and Twins Monument," is a moving depiction of grief and love, perfectly placed overlooking the Schuylkill River, in a spot that I believe is the best on the entire property. It’s a reminder of how much emotion and history are woven into Laurel Hill Cemetery.
ReplyDeleteHelena’s husband, Henry, was a Polish sculptor known for his work on busts of revolutionary heroes. Devastated by her loss, he dedicated months to creating this memorial. Tragically, his own story ended in exile—he left the U.S. for political reasons.
I captured many photos during my visits, I've framed some I liked them so much. William thought I was nuts.If you never Philadelphia readers, squeeze in time visited Laurel Hill, I highly recommend it.
I agree. When I lived in Bucks County, I often drove down to spend the afternoon there. And I know just the grave you speak of. It is indeed in one of the best spots in the cemetery. Almost as if the sculptor, her husband designed Helena to longingly stare off toward the river. I never knew any of the backstory. Just one of many in there I surmise.
DeleteYou've captured some beautiful pictures. This is amazing! How does Laurel Hill get money to stay open in these times??
ReplyDeleteThis particular cemetery still sells plots but has a very active public events calendar with a lot of activities and fundraisers planned throughout the year. The volume of the events they run is pretty impressive and I would guess has a lot to do with how well they’ve been able to maintain it. I’ve attended concerts there, and in addition have movie nights, plays and presentations there, not to mention the popular fundraiser, the Gravediggers Ball.
DeleteI love old cemetery walks, and this would be amazing.
ReplyDeleteI love old cemeteries. We have Lake View Cemetery here in Cleveland (the famous Haserot Angel is one of its stunning statues). My great-grandmother's house backed up to a cemetery; we always walked around w/her. I can never understand people not appreciating the beauty of these places. They are indeed hallowed ground.
ReplyDeleteThe only cemetery or should I say battlefield that ever bugged me being near was the Gettysburg Battlefields where a friend of mine had a home backup to one. He had acres. I don't know what it was, but I was always unsettled when I would spend weekends at his house.
DeleteThat looks like such a great place to spend a Fall afternoon! WTF the thing emerging from the coffin?!
ReplyDeleteGHOULS!
DeleteI grew up a couple of blocks from at least two cemeteries . We played in them like they were parks (nothing gothic about them at all). I wanted to be the one to cut the grass when I grew older. One had a great pond for grabbing frogs and tadpoles. It was fun to walk around and read the headstones, some had pictures which made them more interesting. I used to make up stories about the people buried there. Kept me from going insane.
ReplyDeleteI've been really sick lately so that last word looked like trampoline to me. I suppose either one would work.
Your right Deedles, in my cases either would work! LMAO!!!!! Im like you, I like cemeteries, and to kids they are like parks and playlands. I sure hope you feel better soon. It too early in the season to be getting sick. Do a shot of whiskey!
DeleteA great necropolis filled with architectural and statuary gems of different periods and styles.
ReplyDeleteI don't find the morbid or ghoulish but rather beautiful, calm and above all interesting
Fab photos by the way
The same here Madam! They certainly aren't what they portray in the movies.
DeleteThat is pretty amazing! But what we need to know is did you ever have sex in a cemetery? I'm guessing yes.
ReplyDelete