Visit Atlanta: Historic Cemeteries

October is consider spooky season and what’s spookier than cemeteries? Cemeteries get a bad rep and are plenty scary but they can be some of the most beautiful places in a city. Atlanta has two well known cemeteries that provide both a glimpse and unique view into Atlanta’s past. Showcasing the rich history of the city and are definitely worth a visit.

While visiting a cemeteries is not for the faint at heart, Atlanta’s historic cemeteries offer wonderful tours and events. They are also the final resting place of some of the city’s civil rights leaders, powerful politicians, famous authors, actors and civil war soldiers. Atlanta’s cemeteries are covered in gothic architecture, which peaked my interest in visiting. It’s also the number one reason why I encourage you to visit. The history that the Historical Oakland Cemetery and Westview Cemetery provide is amazing. With their grand sculptures and beautiful landscapes, these are two of the most fascinating and historical cemeteries in Atlanta.

Historic Oakland Cemetery

248 Oakland Ave | SE Atlanta | Website

Historic Oakland Cemetery is the City of Atlanta oldest public park. It is 48 acres full of history, gardens, sculptures and architecture. With the landscape consisting of giant ancient oaks and magnolias trees. While providing a wonderful green space, the cemetery also has an art gallery. It is also oddly enough a wedding venue.

What’s lovely about Oakland Cemetery is there are year around events. The Lily season being a popular event during spring and of course this time of year theirs the Fall events, both bring in more than enough visitors. The Cemetery is currently hosting the Capturing the Spirit of Oakland Halloween Tours until the end of October and the Haunted Hunt Scavenger Hunt to the end of the year.

Historic Oakland Cemetery offers self guided map tours for purchase in the Visitor Center. There is also private tours given and a unique experience of a Scavenger Hunt. These both need to be reserve ahead of visiting.

Westview Cemetery

1680 Westview Drive SW | Atlanta | Website

Westview one of the largest non-profit cemeteries in the United States. With nearly six-hundred acres of land, Westview Cemetery is the largest civilian cemetery in the Southeast. That’s over twelve times the size of Oakland Cemetery. Although much of the land is not develop the cemetery provides beautiful landscape and has a gorgeous mausoleum.

The Westminster Abbey-style mausoleum is beautiful with lovely architectural details inside and out. While the cemetery does not have as many sculptures as Oakland, it still holds its own. You may just have to do a little more driving that walking around as this place is massive. The cemetery does not offer guided tours, however, you can visit The Atlanta Preservation Center website for information on tour the cemetery. If you prefer to tour on your own, I suggest using this map to help guide you along.