The recumbent bronze statue of Fernand Arbelot (1880-1942) holding in his hands the face of his beloved. He is remembered for his one desire in death: to forever gaze upon the face of his wife. Arbelot died in Paris during the German Nazi occupation. Bruno De Hogues/Getty Images
Millions of people enter the grounds of Père Lachaise in Paris each year. Some of them never, ever leave.
It is, after all, one of the most famous cemeteries in the world – and although it s strongly linked to death, Père Lachaise is perhaps better known for its great beauty and the incredible demand for its few burial spaces.
The Untold Truth Of Pere Lachaise, The World s Most Visited Cemetery Shutterstock
By Kathy Benjamin/Feb. 8, 2021 12:57 pm EDT/Updated: March 23, 2021 10:23 pm EDT
If you never went through an emo phase, you might think it s weird that people like to visit cemeteries. And sure, some can be sad, uncared for, and small, but there are other cemeteries that are basically a combination art gallery and beautiful park.
Pere Lachaise in Paris might be the most stunning of them all. As the Encyclopedia Britannica notes, it s probably the most visited cemetery in the world (it s impossible to know for sure, since Pere Lachaise, like most cemeteries, doesn t actually count up the people who come there, but the superlative is generally accepted by people who know about these things.)