NATGEOTRAVEL.COM
OBSESSIONS
CEMETERIES
W
hen I arrive in a new destination, I like
to immerse myself in the life of my sur-
roundings. So I go to a place that holds
the grandeur of an art gallery, the fascinating tales of
a history museum, and the verdancy of a public park.
I go to the graveyard.
Like many seemingly odd fascinations, my obses-
sion with cemeteries began as a teenager. The massive
cemetery near my family’s house in Minneapolis
became my amateur photography studio, my go-toGrave Encounters
Discover how cemeteries can unearth intriguing plots
and little known stories of the dead—and the living
By Katie ThorntonThe Victorian-era
cemetery Arnos
Vale, in Bristol,
England, had fallen
into disrepair, but
is now an active
space with a
wedding venue and
walking trails.