Mount Zion

Mandy, my dad, Mark, Kristin and I just got back from a quick weekend in NYC. We went to several matches at the US Open and had a delightful time! We also, by virtue of the fact that our hotel was directly across the street from it, got to see the Mount Zion Cemetery. Kristin and I really wanted to take a closer look inside, but time wasn't permitting so the only photos I have to share are ones found on flikr.


I'm not normally that enthralled by cemeteries, but this one was pretty amazing. According to the official website the first burial took place in 1893 and there have been more than 210,000 since then.


That wasn't a typo. There are literally over 210,000 gravesites in this cemetery. I had a hard time finding any photos that really depicted the size of the cemetery. It's huge, but not nearly as big as you'd think it would need to be considering its numbers. The gravestones are very close together and most are very large, providing for a visual that I've never really seen before.


Perhaps the most intriguing part of it all is how the cemetery is nestled into the city. It butts up against a large factory on one side and the Long Island Expressway on the other. The view from our hotel room was nothing but gravestones in the foreground, but the NYC skyline, including a clear view of the Empire State Building, in the background.


The whole scene was sort of strange (and definitely a surprise as the hotel doesn't mention the cemetery at all on it's website - wonder why?!) and yet beautiful at the same time.

Photo Credit: ddc95's flickr