On November 1st, Poland celebrates All Saints’ Day—a time when people visit cemeteries to light candles on the graves of their loved ones. Unlike Halloween or Día de Muertos, it’s a quieter, more reflective event.
Looking at photos of Poland’s beautifully illuminated cemeteries reminded me of one of the most fascinating cemeteries I’ve visited: Vienna’s Central Cemetery. Opened in 1874, the Zentralfriedhof spans about two square kilometers, making it one of the world’s largest cemeteries with over 300,000 graves. Many notable figures rest here—Beethoven, Schubert, Brahms, and members of the Strauss family, to name a few. But it’s not just the famous graves that make it special; you’ll also find arcaded tombs, grand mausoleums, and some intriguingly unique monuments.
This cemetery is home to a variety of sections dedicated to different faiths, including Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, and several Orthodox Christian communities. It has even become a bit of a nature reserve, with parkland and wilderness areas where, if you’re lucky, you might spot deer or even the rare European hamster.
We spent an entire afternoon there and still didn’t see it all. It might sound unusual to suggest visiting a cemetery, but the Zentralfriedhof is truly beautiful. If you find yourself nearby, it’s definitely worth a visit.
