Green-Wood Cemetery

Things to do, Walks and tours Greenwood
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green-wood cemetery
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Photograph: Shutterstock
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Photograph: Shutterstock

A century ago, this site vied with Niagara Falls as New York State’s greatest tourist attraction. Filled with Victorian mausoleums, cherubs and gargoyles, Green-Wood is the resting place of some half-million New Yorkers, among them Jean-Michel Basquiat, Leonard Bernstein and Boss Tweed. But there’s more to do here than grave-spot: Check out the massive Gothic arch at the main entrance or climb to the top of Battle Hill, one of the highest points in Kings County and a pivotal spot during the Battle of Brooklyn in 1776.

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Venue name: Green-Wood Cemetery
Contact:
Visit Website Call Venue 718-210-3080
Address: 500 25th St
Brooklyn
11232
Cross street: at Fifth Ave
Transport: Subway: R to 25th St
Price: Free
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    Black in Brooklyn

    Take a trolley tour through Brooklyn’s Green-Wood Cemetery, where notables like Susan Smith McKinney Steward, the first female black doctor in New York State, Jeremiah Hamilton, New York City’s first black millionaire, and Brooklyn-born artist Jean-Michel...

    Saturday February 23 2019

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4.8 / 5

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tastemaker

Green-Wood is one of my all-time favorite places in Brooklyn, right up there with Brooklyn Bridge Park, but with more culture/things to do and less tourists taking selfies. 


A cemetery might not seem like a place you would think to just go and visit, but Green-Wood is beyond stunning and you would be foolish not to take a trip. It's the perfect place to go for a walk or a picnic, especially in the spring/fall when everything starts changing colors. And Green-Wood hosts awesome events throughout the year too, like Moonlit walking tours, special trolley tours and immersive events, like Nibo's Garden in July.


I don't care what borough you live in, Green-Wood is worth the trek, and you might as well stop in Sunset Park for some excellent Mexican or Chinese food after. 

Staff Writer

Beautiful vast open space. I agree with comments below this isn't exactly a tourist attraction. But in fact many Brooklynites come here for long reflective walks and you won't be disappointed to do the same. The variety of beautiful (and sometimes bizarre) monuments set in such a peaceful space makes this a highly worthwhile trip. You won't feel like you're trespassing either: There are obvious routes and a recommended lookout spot atop the hill, with plaques detailing the Battle of Brooklyn, which played out around the hill. 

moderator

It’s a little creepy to think a cemetery is a tourist attraction. However, compared to the Recoleta Cemetery in Buenos Aires, the Green-Wood Cemetery feels more like a cemetery because it’s not so crowded. There are some “celebs” buried in Green-Wood, but the real draw for me was walking around and seeing the wide array of gravestones and mausoleums. When you read the last names, you truly get a sense of the diversity here in New York. It’s also worth mentioning, the cemetery is very well kept, so if you’re able to ignore the fact that you’re at a gravesite, it almost feels like you’re taking a stroll through the park.


This is probably my favorite tourist attraction in Brooklyn. Hear me out, it used to be the second most visited attraction in the US after Niagara Falls! It's beautiful, and inside you'll find stunning monuments, rolling pathways and lots and lots of greenery. Go on a guided trolly tour (there are many different ones offered.) You won't be disappointed! I also attended an event here for Open House NY weekend a few years back and got to see inside some of the rarely opened mausoleums complete with historical actors. There are also catacombs that are rarely opened but sometimes are, for special events. A must-see especially if you're into the macabre like me.

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