I have a confession to make...I love cemeteries! I can hear what you're thinking: "Who is this weird woman?" I can't help it, tho. Cemeteries are simply full of stories, if only you can dig them out. On my 'must do' list when I visited Paris in 2005, then, was a trip to the Pere Lachaise Cemetery in the 20th arrondissement. I made the metro trip alone as my friend with whom I was traveling didn't share my fascination for the dead. I have to admit when I surfaced, I was a bit creeped out. This part of Paris was a little seedy compared to the 6th arrondissement where we were staying. I soldiered on, however, found the cemetery, paid my 2 Euros for a map, and began to explore. This was my first experience in a cemetery where so many people were buried in above-ground crypts and tombs. Many of them were family crypts built in honor of multiple family members. They were beautiful memorials to the deceased, decorated with lovely stained glass, beautiful ironwork, ceramics, and doors such as this one. It was very art nouveau, and I couldn't resist snapping a photo of it.
Walking through this door would be a beautiful way to reach eternity.
PS...yes, I did visit Jim Morrison's grave and took pictures. I was disappointed that I couldn't find Modigliani's, tho, even with my map. He's my favorite painter. Whose grave would you want to visit???
12 comments:
Bonjour Evelyn, I love cemeteries too, and the Père Lachaise really is worth the visit (even for those who aren't interested). Last year I visited the Père Lachaise with a guide. The tour lasted 2 and 1/2 hours, and it was fascinating! So many stories behind the famous or less famous buried there, and we didn't even visit the whole place...
Isabelle...I would have loved to do a guided tour! There was a group clustered at Edith Piaf's grave and the tour guide was chattering away in French...darn it, I didn't speak enough to understand any of it. It would have been wonderful to know the story he was telling.
I don't love cemeteries but I love those doors. Angel doors. Wow!
This is the first image I've seen that really speaks 'heaven's gate' to me - it is awesome! So glad you shared it.
My hubby and I met on a blind date and ended up walking through a cemetary that night - true.
Ha! I'm one who likes to go to cemeteries, too. The older the better! I love the ones with the older gravestones, etc. This are great doors!!
I meant these are great doors not this is great doors...
I like old cemeteries too so I don't find that odd. Great door into that one.
I visited CS Lewis's grave in Headington in June! I love cemeteries too. We lived near an old cemetery in Los Angeles and I often walked around its perimeter.
I visited Père Lachaise cimetary twice. Jim Morrison's grave the first time was full of syrenges, joints and druggies were sitting around. All grave stones around were decorated with graffitis in honor of Jim. I had never seen such a crowd around a grave in my whole life !
Years later the second time, there were guardians, the grave was clean and the stones around too. What a difference !
I have to admit, I am NOT a big fan of cemeteries ... but I DO understand the fascination with them, and there certainly is beauty within... and apparently without too! Those doors are gorgeous!
Yes, a guided tour would be awesome!
And a photoshoot!
I think I'll put it on my wishing list!
Jientje...you absolutely should do a photo shoot at this cemetery. It has some stunning gravesites, crypts, etc. The grounds are equally beautiful...lots of flowers! I took many, many pictures of celebrity graves like Chopin, Sarah Bernhardt, Oscar Wilde (that one's wild!), Edith Piaf, on and on. I love how people leave 'offerings' at the graves...lots of chestnuts, rocks, flowers. Please take photos and share with your readers!
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