Key West Cemetery - The Key West Cemetery? What kind of tourist attraction is that you say? You may not consider visiting a
cemetery something at the top of your agenda while on vacation, but trust us, the Key West Cemetery is
one of a kind. It's also one of the oldest, most beautifully landscaped tracts of unspoiled land in Key West.
The grounds were laid out in the 1800s and they haven't changed a bit since then. You'll find beautiful old
trees and manicured pathways for walking or bicycling through. Stop and reflect, take pictures of the more
unusual headstones, or stroll through on your way to another destination, but you can't help noticing how
gorgeous the place really is.
Those who choose to take a tour will hear about the famous epitaphs from Key West guidebooks like "I told you
I was sick!". Some people back then when those headstones were written up certainly had a sense of humor!
There's a gravesite topped by a miniature red biplane, which you can't miss if you look around a while at the
cemetery. There are tiny statues galore dotting the landscape and the gravesites at Key West Cemetery.
Look for a lifesize statue of Jesus standing atop a tomb, twenty feet in the air. If you get the right angle,
it seems to be floating in the air with the blue sky behind him. It's art!
KEy West Cemetery has about 70,000 people buried within its borders, which is a lot for such a tiny island.
There are only 20,000 residents of Key West year-round. None of the bodies are actually buried in the ground.
They tried that at the original cemetery in Key West, which was unfortunately located too close to the ocean,
near the Key West Lighthouse. One hurricane wiped out that one, so they moved everything to the present
location more inland and slightly higher up. There's no topsoil to speak of so the bodies are placed in limestone vaults above ground. They make for a beautiful cemetery, since the white color is other-worldly and the carved designs and images make beautiful pictures in the sun and shadows.
If you want to take the hour and a half tour of the Key West Cemetery, meet the guide at the gates on Margaret Street. The Cemetery is open dawn to dusk and free to enter. You can bicycle through but don't you dare ride your scooter!
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