Arlington National Cemetery

In the suburbs of Washington D.C, and within view of the Pentagon, Arlington National Cemetery serves as a poignant reminder of the sacrifice men and women gave for our country. More than 280,000 service people are buried here, and in this sea of white tombstones, the status of the departed range from the ultra famous to the unknowns.

The Cemetery is actually quite a beautiful place. The terrain is gently rolling hills, large trees provide shade, and the rows of white headstones are very humbling. There are guided tours throughout the park; although these tours are motorized, be sure to wear comfortable shoes for this is still a considerable amount of walking. The tombstones date back to the Revolutionary War, and even during modern conflicts, people are still buried in the Cemetery.

Perhaps the most famous person to be buried at Arlington National Cemetery is former President John F. Kennedy. After his untimely assassination, he was laid to rest in this beautiful cemetery, with a simple Eternal Flame always lit over his tombstone. The placing of his tomb is intentional – When JFK visited the cemetery, he stood on that spot, which offers spectacular views of Washington DC, and remarked, “I could stay here forever”. Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis (affectionately called Jackie O.) is buried here as well, right next to John, her first husband. John’s brother, Robert Kennedy who was also assassinated, has a simple white cross nearby.

Another famous attraction at Arlington National Cemetery is “The Tomb of the Unknowns”, a large marble tomb that encases three unknown soldiers: one from each World War, and one from the Korean War. Members from the 3rd United States Infantry guard the Tomb for twenty four hours a day, everyday of the year. If you are lucky, you can catch a changing of the Guards ceremony, which has a solemn routine. It is one of the few places in America where there is such pageantry; in Europe, this type of thing is fairly common but America’s revolutionary spirit shied away from copying European traditions. However, the fact that sentinels guard the unknown is a touching tribute to all that lay in peace here. Near the tomb of the Unknowns, a memorial for all the astronauts on the Challenger Space Shuttle is erected; however, all astronauts are entitled to be buried at this National Cemetery.

At the entrance of the Cemetery, there is a memorial for all the women who have served in the armed forces – in the adjoining room, there is a computerized database of the names of approximately 25,000 veteran women. Beyond this memorial is the Arlington Cemetery Visitor Center, where you can pick up a map to tour the grounds. If you have family buried here, the people in this visitor center will help point you to their burial site. Admission to the Cemetery is free, and the guided tours leave from this pavilion as well.

Although this place is where valor sleeps now, the cemetery was founded under very different purposes. Many people do not know that the mansion on the hill above JFK’s memorial used to belong to General Robert E. Lee. Lee married into George Washington’s family (and the Washington family owned this property), and he lived in this mansion for about thirty years leading up to the Civil War. When he left to become a general for the Confederacy, the Union Army eventually seized his estate and buried deceased Union soldiers on the property so that if Lee ever returned, he would not feel comfortable on his own property and in his house. General Lee never did return to this mansion, so America helped heal the wounds of the Civil War by dedicating this plantation to serve as a national cemetery. From the main drawing room in General Lee's former mansion, visitors can clearly see the Lincoln Memorial. This is not a coincidence - the Memorial was purposely placed there so that these two great leaders would be forever linked together, and not seperatley. The mansion is open and free to tour, but not all of the rooms are available for viewing.

Arlington National Cemetery is a somber yet beautiful place. If you are in the area, we highly suggest you pay homage to those that gave everything for your freedom and protection. Nearby, there are plenty of places to eat, sleep, and enjoy – all of these places can be found in our, “Places to Stay”, “Places to Eat”, “Things to Do” option on our homepage.





Virginia Tourists Guide - Arlington National Cemetery