Père Lachaise Cemetery
Père Lachaise Cemetery is located in the northeast corner of Paris in the 20th arrondissement. Père Lachaise is the largest cemetery in Paris and the most visited in the world, highly regarded because of the many famous people who are buried there. Hundreds of thousands of people from around the globe come to Père Lachaise Cemetery each year to stroll through its paths, treating it much like a garden rather than a cemetery.
When the cemetery was established in 1804 by Napoleon it was considered an undesirable place to be buried because it was too far away from the city. In response, remains of Moliere, La Fontaine, and later Pierre Abelard and Heloise, were transferred to the burial ground. These well-known names encouraged others to also bury their loved ones in the same cemetery. In just a few years time the number of people buried in the cemetery grew from less than fifty to over 30,000.
More than 300,000 people are currently buried in Père Lachaise Cemetery, including French actors, writers, poets, and politicians. Popular tourist attractions include the gravesites of Jim Morrison, Oscar Wilde, and Chopin. The cemetery also houses memorial statues dedicated to those who fought in the World Wars. Père Lachaise Cemetery is well worth a trip for guests renting Paris apartments because it is not only beautiful, but also rich in history.
Père Lachaise Cemetery is located on Boulevard de Menilmontant. To get to Père Lachaise Cemetery from your Paris apartment, take either Metro Line 2 to Philippe Auguste station for the main entrance or take Line 3 to Père Lachaise station, which is near a side entrance. Free maps of the cemetery are available upon arrival, but visitors should call ahead to set up guided tours. Information can be reached by calling +33(0)140 717 560. Père Lachaise Cemetery is more than just a graveyard; it provides lovely trees, hills, and paths that make it a perfect site for a leisurely walk. Visit Père Lachaise Cemetery whilst staying in a self-catering Paris apartment to complete a relaxing holiday.
