Cemeteries by the sea range from the breathtakingly beautiful to those being threatened by erosion to wash away. Here are ten of them.
Cemeteries by the Sea
#1 Waverley Cemetery in New South Wales, Australia
Waverley Cemetery, in the suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, is not only a cemetery that rests on a cliff overlooking the sea but is also consistently ranked as one of the most beautiful cemeteries in the world.
Founded in 1877, the 40-acre gorgeous Waverley cemetery is filled with snow-white statues set against a backdrop of turquoise ocean waters.
Most of the monuments at Waverley Cemetery were created in the mid to late 1800s and were sculpted from white Carrara marble. The white gleaming angels, columns, and human figures stand out against the brilliant turquoise background of the sky and sea.
In more recent years, gravestones made of rose and black granite have also been added.
Some of the region’s earliest entrepreneurs are buried at this cemetery – shoe shop owners, candle and soap makers, dairy farmers, meat pie bakers, theater owners, booksellers, and emu ranchers.
It is the final resting place for more than 90,000 people.
This is the gravestone of Captain William Ellis at Waverley Cemetery. Ellis spent most of his life aboard a ship, starting his career on the ship Cossiterides at age 13.
Ellis had a remarkable experience aboard the Cossiterides. When the crew was bound from Newcastle, Australia to Manila, Phillippines a hurricane struck and the ship not only lost its mast but also sprang a leak. For ten days, all hands were kept at the bilge pumps. Finally, a Man-of-War ship took the vessel in tow and ferried her to safety in the Manila Harbor.
There are several maritime symbols on Ellis’ gravestone. The anchor is a symbol of hope, steadfastness, and eternal life.
The crossed flags are a symbol of maritime signalmen. Today, signalmen transmit messages via radio, fiber optic, microwave, information systems, and satellite links. But during the 19th and 20th centuries, servicemen in the Royal Australian Corps of Engineers transmitted messages with flashing lights and flags.
The epitaph on Ellis’ gravestone reads, “In loving memory of Captain William Ellis of S.S. Leura . . . He kept his last watch and entered the golden harbor.”
Click HERE to learn more about Australian gravestone symbols.
Another interesting gravestone at Waverley Cemetery is for Sarah “Fanny” Durack, Olympic gold medal swimmer. From 1910 to 1918, Fanny was considered the world’s best female swimmer. She held every freestyle world record from 100 yards to a mile. Click HERE to see her gravestone on the BillionGraves website.
Cemeteries by the Sea
#2 Normandy American Cemetery at Normandy, France
The Normandy American Cemetery in Normandy, France overlooks Omaha Beach and the English Channel.
Dedicated in 1956, the cemetery has more than 1 million visitors each year. Its purpose is to honor American military personnel who died in Europe during World War II
The Normandy American Cemetery spans 172.5 acres. It is the final resting place of 9,388 American troops, most of whom were killed during the Normandy invasion and ensuing military clashes.
When American soldiers died while serving overseas during World War II, the next of kin were given a choice of having their loved one interred at the nearest overseas cemetery or repatriated for permanent burial in the United States.
The Normandy American Cemetery holds the graves of 45 pairs of brothers (30 of whom are buried side by side), a father and son, an uncle and his nephew, 2 pairs of cousins, and 304 unknown soldiers.
The epitaph on the graves of the unknown soldiers reads, “Here rests in honored glory a comrade in arms known but to God.”
Cemeteries by the Sea
#3 Santa Maria Magdalena de Pazzis Cemetery in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico
Old San Juan, Puerto Rico’s stunning Santa Maria Magdalena de Pazzis Cemetery fits snuggly between hills, city walls, and the Atlantic Ocean. Founded in 1863, the cemetery was maintained by Carmelite nuns.
The white monuments with the blue sky and sea backdrop are remarkable.
The cemetery’s location on the waterfront symbolizes the soul taking a journey from this world into the afterlife.
Visitors who walk on the grass will find that they sink into it slightly, like walking on a sponge.
In addition to beautiful statues, the Santa Maria Magdalena de Pazzis Cemetery has a series of arched mausoleums.
Some of the most prestigious Puerto Ricans have been buried at Santa Maria Magdalena de Pazzis Cemetery. Ironically, it is also home to many wandering chickens, cats, crabs, and lizards.
Cemeteries by the Sea
#4 San Michele Cemetery Island in Venice, Italy
In the early 1800s, Napoleon told Venetians to stop burying their dead all over town. It was causing disease. Venice had regular floods when the sea rose and meeting a floating body when wading down the street was not only unsanitary, it was downright scary.
Napoleon even announced that a cemetery was being established offshore on a floating island called San Michele.
The entire island is surrounded by a red brick wall with Roman arches.
Even today, undertakers ship bodies to the island. Coffins are placed on elaborately decorated funeral gondolas or in simple aquatic hearses.
San Michele Cemetery edged out a monastery that was situated on the island. It is still standing but is no longer in use.
Today, San Michele Cemetery is so crowded that the gravesites are only available on a short-term lease. After twelve years, the bones are disinterred. If family members pay for a new lease, the bones are reinterred in a small metal box. But if family members can’t —or won’t— pay the fee then the bones are tossed into a nearby boneyard.
November 1st is known to Catholics as “All Hallow’s Day” or “All Saints Day”. According to local legends, the dead of San Michele Island leave their graves on this day and travel through the streets of Venice en route to their former homes. When the spirits of the deceased arrive, they sit down at the heart of the home, on a chair next to the kitchen stove.
For this reason, superstitious Venetians believe it is bad luck to look out of the window on November 1st.
The next day, November 2nd, is “All Souls’ Day”. All Soul’s Day is a time to honor deceased loved ones by taking chrysanthemums to the cemetery. They are delivered by boat, of course.
As a sidenote, these two holy days (or “holidays”) on November 1st and 2nd, follow “All Hallow’s Eve” on October 31st. In many places around the world, “All Hallow’s Eve” came to be known as “Halloween”.
Graves at San Michele Cemetery
Click HERE, HERE, and HERE to see more gravestones on this amazing Venetian island.
Cemeteries by the Sea
#5 Heitaniemi Cemetery in Helsinki, Finland
Heitaniemi Cemetery is located in Helsinki, Finland. Hietaniemi means “sand cape” and the cemetery is located on a steep seaside cliff. As visitors wander among the graves, they can hear waves crashing on the rocky shore and smell the salty air.
The country’s most prominent leaders, as well as many war heroes, are buried here.
Hietaniemi Cemetery is also a popular tourist attraction. Visitors enjoy hiking on the tree-lined paths and by the water.
Some of the gravestones at the cemetery show the love that the Finns have for nature.
Each year on Christmas Eve, the families of Helsinki offer prayers and place candles on the graves to honor their ancestors.
Cemeteries by the Sea
#6 Neptune Memorial Reef, International Waters near Key Biscayne, Florida, USA
Okay, technically this cemetery isn’t “by” the sea, it’s “under” the sea. So you better not use the BillionGraves app at this cemetery or you might ruin your smartphone! In fact, you might want to make your only live visit there this virtual one . . . unless you are a scuba diver!
Neptune Memorial Reef is located 3.25 miles in International Waters off the coast of Key Biscayne, Florida. It is not only considered the world’s most beautiful underwater graveyard, but it is also an artificial reef system that helps marine wildlife flourish.
Moray eels, sea urchins, puffers, spotted eagle rays, sponges, crabs, 14 species of coral, and more than 56 species of fish have made this reef their home.
Here are some interesting facts about Neptune Memorial Reef Cemetery:
- The cemetery is only for cremated remains.
- It is the largest man-made reef in the world, spanning 16 acres.
- Statues include Atlantis-inspired architecture with columns and a massive lion.
- The world’s oldest ship-wreck diver, a Guinness World Record holder at age 90, is buried here.
- Concrete memorials are customized with small momentoes like fishing lures, coins, shells, and painted rocks.
Cemeteries by the Sea
#7 Cemetery of the Old Château in Cote d’Azur, France
The Old Château Cemetery in Cote d’Azur, France is a scenic burial ground on a terraced hilltop that was once occupied by a medieval castle. The castle ruins are still visible.
The cemetery was built in response to Napoleon’s mandate that burials would no longer be allowed inside churches for sanitation reasons.
The climb to the cemetery is breathtaking – literally! But so is the view!
The Cemetery of the Old Château offers magnificent views of the Mediterranean Sea extending all the way to the Italian Riviera.
Cemeteries by the Sea
#8 Luarca Cemetery in Luarca, Spain
The views from Luarca Cemetery are considered some of the best in Spain.
Many tourists consider the cemetery a “must see”, well worth the steep climb up the hill.
Luarca Cemetery is not only next to the sea, it is nearly surrounded by the sea, as you can see in the aerial view map.
Luarca’s Nobel Prize winner for medicine Severo Ochoa and his wife are buried at Luarca Cemetery.
Cemeteries by the Sea
#9 Camogli Cemetery on the Italian Riviera
One can hardly imagine a prettier place to visit, live, or even to be buried, than Camogli on the Italian Riviera.
Camogli village sits perched on top of the hills over the Ligurian Sea. The local cemetery rests on a cliff about 230 feet (70 meters) above sea level. Well, at least it rested there until 2021, when a catastrophe struck.
In 2021, part of Camogli Cemetery collapsed into the sea during a landslide, sending 200 coffins down the cliff into the water.
Locals did their best to rescue and restore the graveside monuments and coffins but it was difficult since the cliffside land remained unstable. They even used boats to reach some of the floating coffins and pull them back to shore.
Today, the cemetery is still functional with the cliffside area blocked off.
Cemeteries by the Sea
#10 Oceanside Cemeteries in San Francisco, California
Discarded gravestones on the beach? You might expect to find seashells, sea glass, driftwood, and such on a beach . . . but gravestones!?
Low tides, strong winds, and shifting sands reveal a tragic event in San Francisco’s past – gravestones that were repurposed decades ago to reinforce seawalls, build roads, and improve parks.
If you have ever wondered why BillionGraves encourages volunteers to take photos of gravestones, THIS is a great example! Taking photos of gravestones with the BillionGraves app preserves history and helps future generations to find their ancestors.
We need your help – wherever you live – to document your local cemeteries!
At first glance, San Francisco, California is strangely devoid of cemeteries. It has been illegal to bury the deceased in the city for more than 120 years.
But it wasn’t always so. In the 1800s, there were at least 30 cemeteries in San Francisco. There were Catholic, Jewish, Protestant, non-denominational, fraternal club, Native American, Chinese, and pauper cemeteries.
The “big four” cemeteries were Laurel Hill to the north, Odd Fellows’ to the west, Masonic to the south, and Calvary to the east. All four were built between 1854 and 1865. They were laid out on rolling green lawns with winding roads and beautiful paths.
Families flocked to the large park-like cemeteries to visit the graves of their ancestors and loved ones, often bringing along a picnic.
As the remains of 35,000 bodies at Laurel Hill Cemetery were exhumed, the gravestones that were meant to be their legacy were broken into more manageable pieces and transported to Ocean Beach.
Some of the largest slabs were stacked to form diagonal walls along Ocean Beach to prevent shoreline erosion. Even in more recent years, swimmers, surfers, and beach walkers are startled to come across discarded gravestones during low tides.
In 1935, during the Great Depression, President Franklin D. Roosevelt introduced the Works Progress Administration (WPA) to improve and beautify public spaces. The program put about 8.5 million Americans to work building schools, hospitals, roads, and other public works.
Some of those WPA workers constructed ground-level rain gutters at Buena Vista Park. And what did they use? Gravestones.
Most of the discarded gravestones that were used to line Ocean Beach were left intact. But those that were carted off to Buena Vista Park were broken into fragments and used to line the rain gutters that ran along the roads and walking paths.
Gravestones were generally placed with their epitaphs facing downward but some of the names and dates are visible in the rain gutters, reminding passersby of their original purpose.
Joggers and dog-walkers are often startled to come across word fragments such as “Died”, “In Memory Of . . . ”, and “Gone but Not Forgotten” underfoot. How ironic.
Learn more about San Francisco’s discarded gravestones HERE.
How Can You Help?
We need your help with taking gravestone photos to help preserve history! When photos are taken with the BillionGraves mobile app, each picture is automatically tagged with GPS coordinates.
This allows families to easily find their ancestor’s final resting place at the cemetery so they can grow their family tree. It also allows future volunteers to see exactly what has already been photographed and what still needs to be done.
If you would like to volunteer to take gravestone photos with your smartphone click HERE to get started. You are welcome to take photos of gravestones at your own convenience, no permission from us is needed.
If you still have questions after you have checked out the resources above, email us at Volunteer@BillionGraves.com.
Would you like to lead a group in documenting a cemetery? Email us at Volunteer@billiongraves.com and we’ll be happy to send you some great tips!
Happy Cemetery Hopping!
Cathy Wallace
