Tombs
21 Remarkable Tombs Across the Globe
According to Britannica, a tomb is the “home of the dead.” A list of 21 super cool tombs and burial sites in the world, which indicate how varied different cultures have been in commemorating their dead throughout history.
These are the changes that to be included in the text “1001 Amazing Places You Must See Before You Die,” edited by Richard Cavendish (2016). The writers’ names are in brackets.
1. Tomb of Kazanlak (Kazanlak, Bulgaria)
The fact that this 4th-century BCE Thracian tomb was found as a result of a fluke in 1944 makes it likely that it is where an important Odrysae chieftain was buried. The tholos or beehive-shaped tomb, which is very well-preserved, shows such murals of geometric patterns, battles, and a banquet that was completed with a tearful farewell. The series has become a well-secured site now. Through the provision of a replication nearby, visitors are able to explore it. 1979 witnessed the UNESCO decide to make it a World Heritage site. (Andrew Smith
2. Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor (Xi’an, China)
The first Chinese Emperor Qin Shi Huang, also known as the one who led the country’s unification, designed a burial complex that became famous through the terracotta army. This royal graveyard, set up as the past life of the emperor on earth, has 8,000 life-size soldiers, among them each one has distinctive counterfeited face features. It exhibits the invincible force and these aspirations that existed during the period of the emperor of China. (Sandrine Josefsada)
3. Ming Tombs (Beijing, China)
These 15-square miles of land under this royal cemetery in Baifuier have 13 of the 16 Ming emperors as their final place of rest and send-off. After a long way with the harmonious relationship of sacred animals on the fences on the side, the scene of the site is amazing. Nevertheless, the most admired construction was Epochu Y’s tomb. (Mark Andrews)
4. Mausoleum of Sun Yat-sen (Nanjing, China)
The huge monument dedicated to Sun Yat-sen was built in 1929 and it features the tomb which is what is in the tomb of the head of the modern China. It applies a modern rustic traditional Chinese design in terms of the graveyard’s structure, which includes a marble arch nearly a story tall, a staircase so long and high and a huge hall with the sitting figure representing Sun. Mausoleum, both of its size and design of the buildings, is comparable with an imperial mausoleum. (Mark Andrews)
5. Kom el-Shoqafa Catacombs (Alexandria, Egypt)
The missed discovery in 1900 which resulted in these catacombs, being the biggest in the Greco-Roman world, came by accidentally. The system is made up of rooms at three different levels and a network of underground tunnels, with a mix of ancient Egyptian and Greco-Roman motifs in the artistic decorations. The significant part of the site is made up of a rotunda in the center, a banqueting hall, and the places devoted to the god. (Richard Cavendish)
6. Tutankhamen’s Tomb (near Luxor, Egypt)
The remarkable discoveries of Howard Carter in 1922 brought to light an intact tomb in the Valley of the Kings that was incredibly rich in Egyptian art and technology. Although he only ruled for a short period of time, the undiscovery of the tomb led to Tutankhamen’s unanticipated fame as a well-known pharaoh. The handsome gifts to the tomb, notably the golden mask and coffin, remain the most pitiful audience attractions world over. (Richard Cavendish)
7. Napoleon’s Tomb (Paris, France)
Napoleon built Les Invalides monumental tomb which will always be a testimony of his imperial ambitions. The complex sarcophagus is held in the crypt outside which there is a large hole. Napoleon is laid in seven nested coffins in a red porphyry sarcophagus surrounded by the symbols of his seven biggest campaigns. (Iain Zaczek)
8. Macedonian Royal Tombs (Verghina, Greece)
The old place near Aigai where this cave was discovered on 1977 is believed to be the burial grounds of the Macedonian aristocracy, including possibly Philip II, father of Alexander the Great. The executed frescoes and various art objects brought to light by this finding, although delicate and minutely executed, have further revealed the gods and goddesses involved in ancient Greek culture. In 1996, this site was awarded the World Heritage title by UNESCO. (Tamsin Pickeral)
9. Early Christian Necropolis (Pécs, Hungary)
This burial ground that dates back to the 4th century, established on the list of the UNESCO World Heritage site, as a matter of fact, is the earliest known example of Christian burial practices in the Roman Empire. The masterpiece of the underground chambers is the one depicting biblical stories and Christian customs. The interactive presentation is a distinctiveness the site has over the others. (Lucinda Hawksley)
10. Quṭb Shāhī Tombs (near Golconda, India)
The place for these tombs is in a pleasant garden leading the visitor to meet the treasures of the Quṭb Shāhī period. Each of these tombs has a large onion-shaped dome above it that is white with the minarets’ decoration on all the sides. Muhammad Qutb Shah’s monumental tomb was the greatest. These tombs were like sanctuaries too, in times when criminal hid in there they were forgiven. (Lesley Levene)
11. Naqsh-e Rostam (near Shīrāz, Iran)
One of the main components of the property is the dressed rims and rock-cut tombs and reliefs associated with diverse Persian empires that the site features. The Achaemenid burial tombs, said to be four, amongst them, that of Darius I, and the Sasanian/Roman reliefs are seven the highest quality the site has. The next most significant relic is a special cubic object which works with the help of the Zoro tribe. The story of Naqsh-e Rostam is one of the tales that have shaped the kingship and religion aspect of our Persian civilization. (Iain Shearer)
12. Grave of W.B. Yeats (Drumcliff, Ireland)
Drumcliff is where William Butler Yeats, Irish poet, rests against the backdrop of Ben Bulben mountain. Born in 1865, Yeats lived here for 73 years and wrote many of his better-known poems. He chose a burial site at the base of Ben Bulben mountain and also specified the epitaph to be engraved on the headstone to make him rest in peace and escape the vultures that have always been to his literary career. The eternal flame of the “Poet” enlightens the path of those who seek him being right there among the paper touched by the sentences composed by the hand of the Irish master. (Iain Zaczek)
13. Newgrange (Drogheda, Ireland)
The layout of the Passage Tomb at Newgrange, which was built in the Stone Age by people that got there before the Celts, can best be described as a feat of unimaginable engineering. A massive mound framed by standing stones with spiral and zigzag patterns is a rear and special feature of the burial site. The most conspicuous feature of Newgrange is its main entrance, which is so aligned that at sunrise on the winter solstice, it allows a beam of light to penetrate and illuminate the central chamber. The ermine which includes all the astronomical knowledge people had is something that they cannot simply fathom. (Richard Cavendish)
14. Christian Catacombs (Rome, Italy)
The dynamic network of tunnels of 2nd-century catacombs in Rome is the city’s underground hidden treasure. Early Christians used these catacombs as a means to give the dead person the honor of completely intact burial and to express the idea that they believed in bodily resurrection and would not cremate their relatives’ remains. Moreover, the passages inside the catacombs were full of countless of graves, one of which being the tomb of many martyrs. The discovery of the catacombs in 1578 supplied historians with a historical treasure as the finding began research on the earliest Christian rituals and customs. (Robin Elam Musumeci)
15. Medici Tombs (Florence, Italy)
The tombs of Medici family whose reign was influential in politics, commerce and especially art during the Renaissance are located in the Basilica di San Lorenzo, Florence. Old Sacristy, New Sacristy, and Chapel of the Princes are displays of the masterpieces such as the ones by Donatello and Michelangelo from where the Medici ancestors are commemorated and the art of the period of the Medici patronage are showcased. (Jacob Field)
16. Tomb of St. Anthony (Padua, Italy)
The humble Basilica of St. Anthony underwent a quirky transformation when it became an area of pilgrimage for Christians, with the shrine of the saint housing one of the main parts of the relic. The chapel, on the other hand, has high reliefs of his life and a beautifully carved altar in honor of the same saint. It also contains the Shrine of the Tongue of St. Anthony, reputed to be miraculously preserved. (Monica Corteletti)
17. Tomb of Muḥammad I Askia (Gao, Mali)
This pyramid, which was built in the 15th century, is the largest such structure in the pre-colonial period in this area and is the graves of the first Songhai emperor. The compound subsume mosques, cemeteries, and place of assembly. The World Heritage site is the plateau where the process of cultural swap is no-negotiable probably the only place that could mix local and North African Islamic architectural style so un-prejudiced and unique. (Richard Cavendish)
18. Tomb of Jahāngīr (near Lahore, Pakistan)
This marvellous mausoleum to the memory of Mughal Emperor Jahāngīr truly embodies the power and wealth of the Mughal dynasty. The garden and the method of mosaic work, in particular, was a white marble sarcophagus from Qurʾānic verses. It is a monument of Jahāngīr’s grandeur. (Katarina Horrox)
19. Grave of Robert Louis Stevenson (Mount Vaea, Samoa)
The famous Scottish author, creator of the novel “Treasure Island”, spent the last days of his life on Upolu, a verdant tropical island situated in the Pacific Ocean. The grave of the great one at the top of Mount Vaea was a place where he could see all over the Pacific. There he wrote various poems and one of them was engraved on a piece of granite at the site of the grave while his wife’s ashes were also added to it. Thus Stevenson’s grave is a place of solitude and reflection, where his body and soul will eternally rest in beautiful nature under which the sea looms. (Iain Zaczek)
20. Buganda Royal Tombs (Kasubi, Uganda)
fThe structural and ritualistic ancient African architectonic creation integrates classical African and regional developments of earlier times. UNESCO declared that that it is one of the most worth interesting centers of heritage from 5 centers in the world. (Richard Cavendish)
21. Imperial Tombs at the Complex of Hué Monuments (near Hué, Vietnam)
They used to build these tombs with adobe bricks, which were then covered with a thick layer of plaster; this was in line with the architectural principles of the ancient Vietnamese. People who are buried there had been served at the emperor’s courts. Every tomb represents the personality and circumstances of the empire from the restraint of Gia Long to the splurge of Tu Duc. The Hué Monuments Complex was given the World Heritage title by UNESCO in 1993. (Mark Andrews)
Frequently Asked Questions about Famous Tombs and Burial Sites
What is the oldest known tomb on this list?
The Newgrange tomb in Ireland, which dates back to the Stone Age (circa 3200 BCE), is the oldest known tomb mentioned on this list.
Which tomb is considered one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World?
Contrary to this list, the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus was one of the Seven of the Ancient World. It is no longer standing today.
What is unique about Tutankhamen’s tomb?
Tutankhamen’s tomb is renowned for having been preserved virtually intact when it was discovered in 1922. It was chock full of all kinds of treasures and artefacts that disclosed certain information about the burial customs of Egyptians of the time.
Which tomb is associated with terracotta warriors?
Located in Xi’an, China, the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor is well-known for the impressive terracotta army of 8,000 the life-like soldiers.
Are all these tombs open to the public?
No, not all of them are accessible to the public. In fact, the underground tunnel that leads into the tomb is not accessible to anyone. You can only visit the mid-sec
Which tomb belongs to a famous author?
Robert Louis Stevenson, the writer of the famous novel “Treasure Island,” was buried on the mount Vaea in Samoa.
What is special about Napoleon’s tomb?
Napoleon’s resting place in Paris is famous for its majestic construction. It has several interlocked caskets and is encompassed by various sculptures that symbolize his main campaigns.
Which tomb is known for its winter solstice alignment?
The Newgrange tomb in Ireland has gained popularity due to its alignment with the winter solstice, which results in sunlight streaming into and illuminating the inner passage.
Are there any tombs on the list that are UNESCO World Heritage sites?
Absolutely, among the different tombs mentioned, the UNESCO World Heritage sites include Kazanlak Tomb, Qing Tombs, and Buganda Royal Tombs.
Which tomb is associated with early Christianity?
The Christian Catacombs in Rome are the most notable as the earliest Christian burial sites where they practiced their early Christian beliefs and rituals.
