Famous Burial Sites

Researched by: Annie Cronenwett and Megan Wancura © 2007

Saint Peter’s Basilica

Saint Peter’s Basilica is a very large Catholic Church. This is where Saint Peter is buried. Ninety-one popes were also buried here, including Pope John Paul II. It is in Vatican City, Rome. It was originally built in Egypt, but was later moved to the Vatican. East of the basilica is Saint Peter's Square. Inside the basilica are six alters; Saint Wenceslas, Saint Processo, Saint Martiniano, Saint Erasmus, Saint Peter's Crucifixion, Saint Joseph and Saint Thomas. The Triumph of the Chair of Saint Peter is also inside the basilica. Michelangelo designed the structure.

 Pantheon

The Pantheon was once a church dedicated to St. Genevieve. It was changed to being just a famous burial place. There are over seventy people buried there, including Braille, Thoreau, Zola and Hugo. Many Frenchmen were also included in the seventy dead. The Pantheon was built by the architect Jacques Germain Soufflot. He began building in 1755. He died before the finishing date of 1789. It was finished during the French Revolution. He designed the structure to have its ground floor in the shape of a cross.

 Great Pyramids of Giza

The Great Pyramids of Giza are in Cairo, Egypt. The largest pyramid was once the largest structure on Earth. It was built for Pharaoh Khufu. It was also called the Great Pyramid. The Great Pyramid took twenty years to build. 400,000 men worked on it (according to Heroduos.) It weighs six million tons. There are six pyramids in all. There are three big ones (left to right) one for Menkaure, one for Khafre, and the last was for Khufu. The pyramids still stand and they are 4,500 years old.

The Taj Mahal

The Taj Mahal (meaning “Crown Palace”) is a Mausoleum that was built in Agra, India. It was built in front of the Jamuna River by the Muslim rulers of India, called the Mughals. It was the most beautiful monument the Mughals ever built. It was built by Emperor Shah Jahan, whose real name was Shahab-ud-din, in memory of his wife, Mumtaz Mahal.
            At first, it only housed Mumtaz Mahal in the lower chamber, then, when Shah Jahan died, his grave was added. It is made entirely of white marble and it currently stands on a raised platform. The major architect was Ustad 'Isa, a famous architect of his time. They employed advanced constructors to build it. The Taj Mahal took 22 years to make. 20,000 builders worked on it. It cost 32 million rupees. The Taj Mahal has a gateway, a garden, a mosque and a guest house.

The Catacombs of Paris

The Catacombs of Paris is a famous site built in 1786. It was built by Monsieur Thiroux de Crosne, Lt. General of Police, and Monsieur Guillaumot, Inspector General of Quarries in Paris, France. When the Catacombs of Paris was built, the city was suffering from diseases, caused by improper burials and mass graves.

The Catacombs of Paris had many quarries. The quarries were changed into a mass tomb in the end of the 18th century. Inside, the walls were covered with graffiti. The quarries were known to cave in causing holes in the ground above. In the 19th century, evidence was found that families lived in the tunnels. The tunnels were used by the French resistance during World War 2.

 Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

Tomb of the Unknown Soldier was a grave built to represent all lost soldiers. Many nations have these. The first one was built in 1849. It was thought to be the monument of the First War of Schleswig in Denmark. The modern trend was started by the United Kingdom on behalf the First World War British Empire.
Sometimes, it contains the remains of an unidentified soldier. It was said that he/she was "known but to God". They were buried with people of high esteem. Many of them were inscribed with “They buried him among the kings because he had done good toward God and his house.” It is unlikely that any more will be constructed.

Citations:

Dr. A. Zahoor and, Dr. Z Haq. "Taj Mahal, Agra, India." Islam City. 1997. 30 Jan 2007 <http://www.islamicity.com/Culture/Taj/default.htm>.

"Catacombs of Paris." Wikipedia. 30 Jan 2007. 30 Jan 2007 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catacombs_of_Paris>.  

"Tributes."Death. January 30, 2007 <http://library.thinkquest.org/16665/tributes.shtml>.amous

"Tomb of the Unknown Soldier." Wikipedia. 28 Jan 2007. 30 Jan 2007 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tomb_of_the_Unknown_Soldier>.

"St. Peter's Basilica." St. Peter's Basilica. 27 January 2007. 27 Jan 2007 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Peter's_Basilica>.

"Saint Peter's Basilica". Online Image. The Pit of James. January 30, 2007.<http://www.cs.utah.edu/~bigler/pictures/europe2002/italy/st%20peter's%20basilica.jpg>

"Pantheon, Rome." Pantheon, Rome. 28 January 2007. 28 Jan 2007 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pantheon,_Rome>.

"Pantheon". Online Image. Open Travel Info. January 30, 2007.<http://www.opentravelinfo.com/files/images/rome_pantheon_0.jpg>

"Great Pyramid of Giza." Great Pyramid of Giza. 30 January 2007. 30 Jan 2007 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Pyramid_of_Giza>.

"Pyramids". Online Image. British Broadcasting Company. January 30, 2007.<http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/egyptians/images/gal_04_dyn.jpg>

"Catacombs of Paris". Online Image. Prilep. January 30, 2007. <http://prilep.club.fr/galerie2/cata/catacombes707.jpg>

 "Taj Mahal". Online Image. Mike Levin. January 30, 2007. <www.mikelevin.com/TajMahalHorizontal.jpg>

"Tomb of the Unknown Soldier". Online Image. US History. January 30, 2007. <www.ushistory.org>

Related Links:

Tributes
Taj Mahal
The Great Pyramids of Giza From Wikipedia
Pyramids
Catacombs of Paris
St Peter’s Basilica
Find-A-Grave
Page of the Dead 
Presidential Burial Sites
Military Cemeteries Arlington National Cemetery
Normandy Cemetery and Memorial                                 
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier