A friend invited me to check out Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn. I’d never been before, but I’ve never turned down a cemetery adventure, so off we went.

Green-Wood was founded in 1838, making it one of the oldest rural cemeteries in the United States. It is also home to some incredible grave sites. Click through for the tour.

There are a vast number of these statuesque gravestones. I feel like this is the Goldilocks approach: Not tiny and forgotten, but not too ostentatious.

On the other hand, the rolling hills of the cemetery’s 478 acres contain these tombs. They’re huge.

The sculpture work is incredible. According to the Green-Wood site, the cemetery has 50,000 residents.

This looks more like a library than a grave.

The land was previously home to the Battle of Brooklyn (also known as the Battle of Long Island) in the Revolutionary War.

Washington’s young army numbered 10,000, and was defeated by the 20,000-strong British forces. After continued fighting, Americans ended up being dispelled all the way out of New York state.

It came back to bite the Brits, however. The losses in Brooklyn are sometimes credited for steeling the resolve of the revolutionary army. We know how it all ended up, of course.

It truly is a picturesque place.

Is this the scariest thing I’ve ever seen? Yes.

So haunting.

This is unbelievable design and sculpture. Art in a park!

Lovely.

How about a jagged cross and an angel with knife wings? Bad ass.

This joint is bigger than my apartment. By far.

Another mansion. I’d love to see inside one of these things.

I love the design and motifs in these.

More of the hill-dwellers. I’m not sure I’d want to be buried in the side of a hill, but it’s also weirdly intriguing.

I can say that I wouldn’t want to be buried in a concrete bounce house. Apologies to the interred, of course.

They seem like portals.

This section was busty.

Part of a section for war veterans.

 

What would you rather have watching over you, a bust of yourself or a cherub?

Here’s one I didn’t get: A field of tombstones set in concentric circles. That is some seriously trippy business. My lens was too long, but you can kind of tell that there are even more circles out of frame.

Green-Wood really does make for an enjoyable walk. It’s unbelievably quiet, clean, and park-like. Plus, you always have company. Even better, it’s free! Go check it out.