Tourist attractions in Washington D.C. : Arlington National Cemetery

The Arlington National Cemetery is one of the very largest cemeteries in whole United States. It is located in Arlington County, near Washington D.C. The cemetery is situated directly across the Potomac River from the Lincoln Memorial. Veterans from all the nation's wars are buried in the cemetery, from the American Revolution through the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. In total, more than 300,000 people are buried in this cemetery, making it the second largest of all the 130 national cemeteries in the United States. The largest one is the Calverton National Cemetery, on Long Island, New York. 

Photo by Arlington National Cemetery

The history of Arlington National Cemetery, also known as ANC, dates back to early 19th century. During this period, the area was known as the Arlington Plantations, owned by a step-grandson of George Washington. In the center of the plantations lied the Arlington House, which still stands as a centerpiece of today’s cemetery. The estate was later passed down to Robert E. Lee, a military academy graduate and a United States Army officer. 

Photo by Tim Evanson

Photo by Ron Cogswell

During the Civil War, the hospitals and burial grounds near Washington DC became overcrowded. In 1864, Quartermaster General Montgomery C Meigs suggested that Lee’s Arlington Estate and its surroundings would be acquired and made into a cemetery for Union casualties. The acquired surroundings were also an important strategic area for the defense of Washington DC, as it lied on the opposite side of the Potomac River. 
 

Photo by Tim Evanson

After the Civil War, an heir to Lee’s acquired property sued the government for their claiming of the land. The Supreme Court ruled in the favor of the Lee’s heir in which the land was returned. A year later, the land was sold back to the government and it has ever since been used as a national cemetery. Within the cemetery lies several memorials, often dedicated to a specific war, a specific regiment or to an individual. One can for example find a white statue dedicated to all the army nurses, known as the Nurse Memorial and the USS Maine Memorial which consists of a salvaged mast from the sunken ship USS Maine. 

Photo by Tim Evanson

Photo by Tim Evanson

Photo by Tim Evanson

Near the center of the cemetery lies the Arlington Memorial Amphitheater. The marble theater was built between 1915 and 1920 as a place for honoring US soldiers. Today, state funerals and memorial days are held annually on the site. It is also the home of the Tomb of the Unknowns, also known as Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. It can be found just east of the theater, on the top of a hill, overlooking Washington DC. The tomb has become one of the most popular places in the cemetery. It is the grave of unidentified soldiers from several major wars, including the First and Second World War, the Vietnam War and the Korean War. The tomb however, doesn’t only honor these specific soldiers, but rather all soldiers who died for their country but who never was identified. 

Photo by Tim Evanson

Photo by Tim Evanson

Today, the Arlington National Cemetery conducts more than 6000 burials each year. The cemetery is however not only a place of grief, but also a place to remember all what these people fought for and to honor their ultimate sacrifice.


Text Source: worldsiteguides.com