With row upon row of small white headstones, spread across a vast area on the outskirts of D.C., the Arlington National Cemetery is a sobering place to visit. Here you’ll see the graves of veterans from American wars through the ages, lined up with military precision.
Situated across the Potomac River from the Lincoln Memorial, the cemetery plays host to as many as 30 funerals every day of the week. Across the cemetery’s 70 different sections, which cover over 2.5 million square metres, more than 400,000 servicemen and women are buried.
Head for the visitor centre first, where you’ll find maps and guides to learn more about the site. Here you can also board one of the shuttle bus tours that will carry you up to Arlington House, the cemetery’s highest point with commanding views of the rest of the city. You’ll also see the monument dedicated to those unknown soldiers who fell during the Civil War.
Among the most visited spots are the gravesite of President Kennedy, marked with an eternal flame, as well as the September 11th Memorials, the Lockerbie Cairn and the Pentagon Group Burial Marker. You’ll also see Section 46, immortalising the seven astronauts from the tragic space shuttle Challenger.
Not only are military heroes remembered civilians are also buried here too. Among them are boxer Joe Louis, novelist Mary Roberts Rinehart, and inventor George Westinghouse. Behind Arlington House lies the Arlington Memorial Amphitheater, where state funerals and Memorial Day services are held.
Open every day of the year, the Arlington National Cemetery is about three kilometres from the heart of DC, just over the Arlington Memorial Bridge. It is easily reached by bus, or you can walk across the bridge adjacent to the Lincoln Memorial. The grounds are extensive, and some visitors prefer to make their way round by car.
