Walking around the cemetery? Imagine yes. In Western Europe, there is a tradition of setting beautiful parks in the resting place of people. Such cemeteries are not at all like gloomy Orthodox churchyards with rows of crosses. It's nice to walk on them. 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 spreading plane trees, as in Paris Pere-Lachaise. You will not see here in large numbers and beautiful tombstones, 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. Nevertheless, this cemetery is one of the "must si" for tourists coming to Washington. Why? You will learn about this from this article.
Arlington National Cemetery: History
Once there was the estate of the wealthy Kastis family. Maria Anna, marrying General Robert Lee, received him as a dowry. The couple lived and lived in Arlington House until the war of the Confederations broke out. President Abraham Lincoln instructed General Lee to lead the northerners. 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 was already an overpopulated city by then. There was not enough space to bury the Unionists who fell in battle. Then Brigadier General Montgomery Meigs put forward a proposal to confiscate the land from the traitor Lee. So Arlington National Cemetery appeared. The first burials began to be made in 1865, right in the Maria Anna rose garden, at the very entrance to the house. The calculation was such as to prevent the spouses from returning to the estate after the war.
Turning 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 upheld 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, which during the Civil War not only soldiers were buried, but also residents of nearby places, into the Memorial of Glory. A section on burial rules has been added to the Code of Federal Regulations of the United States of America (Section 553, Section 2). Rather, it was an exceptional list of categories of people who could be honored with burial at Arlington Cemetery. These are the presidents of the country, soldiers who fell in battle, the US military, the presidents of the Supreme Court and those who were awarded medals of Honor, “Silver Star”, “Purple Heart” and the Cross “For Outstanding Merit”.
Celebrity Arlington National Cemetery
Now the "population of the city of the dead" is more than forty thousand people. In addition, the cemetery is still operating. About thirty funerals take place on it daily. The deceased is transported on a hearse, accompanied by a horse-drawn costume 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 centuries old, then the burials will cease in 2025. And Arlington National Cemetery will turn into a memorial. Already now, a rule is in place that excludes the burial of those who have committed serious crimes. It was introduced in 2001 after it turned out that a retired soldier Timothy McWay, executed for 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 bright exceptions. For example, Glenn Miller. His grave under the tombstone is empty - after all, the body of a jazz musician was never found. Peace and astronauts, actors, a famous heart surgeon found peace here. Not to mention US 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 so 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 horse monuments. The rules make it possible to indicate on the gravestones symbols of the religion of the deceased. At Arlington Cemetery, you can conduct statistical studies of the world's religions. Here you can even see the pentacle - a symbol of the Wiki's pagan religion. The city of the dead has its avenues and streets. The cemetery administration promises to soon release a mobile phone app for finding graves. In the meantime, at the crossroads are the usual signs to significant places.
What to see at Arlington National Cemetery
Two presidents of the United States found comfort here - John Kennedy and William Taft. Earlier, statesmen were buried in other significant memorial places. But after the Kennedy assassination, his widow Jacqueline decided that people should visit his beloved president. She is also buried next to her husband, as are John's two brothers, Ted and Bob. Eternal flame burns on Kennedy’s grave. What else is attractive Arlington National Cemetery? Arlington House, the former estate of the Lee couple, still towers on a hill. It offers beautiful views of Washington. Arlington House operates as a museum. Nearby is the old part of the cemetery with beautiful tombstones. You should also visit the Memorial Amphitheater, built of white marble. In the days of Memory 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 tomb of the fallen soldier who died in the First World War. In front of her are three more plates. These are the graves of unknown fighters 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 Virginia, is located directly behind the Potomac River. Motorists should cross the Bridge of Reconciliation South and North. A blue subway line follows from Washington. The station is called the Arlington National Cemetery.
