Explore Chicago
Graceland Cemetery
Type: Historic Sites, Sightseeing
10Best Says
Chicago claims one of the country's legendary Victorian graveyards. Many of Graceland's tombs are artistically and architecturally renowned and embrace the remains of more than a few famous Chicago... Read More
Chicago claims one of the country's legendary Victorian graveyards. Many of Graceland's tombs are artistically and architecturally renowned and embrace the remains of more than a few famous Chicago characters including Marshall Field, George Pullman, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, and Potter and Bertha Palmer (who had her chef invent the brownie at the Palmer House). These dead would be grateful to know that visitors regularly stroll the grounds to identify famous gravesites including public figures, baseball and boxing greats, merchants and inventors. The grounds were designed in 1861 by prominent landscape architect H.W.S. Cleveland who aimed to create a park-like ambiance. Another landscape architect, Ossian Simonds, added native plants to create the cemetery's pastoral landscape, making the "Cemetery of Architects" one of the most beautiful places in Chicago to visit.
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Hours:
- Daily 8am-4:30pm
Admissions:
- Sunday Group Tours Aug-Oct Adult $15; Senior $10; Student $10
EXPERT TIPS BY:
Jacky Runice
Chicago Local Expert
- Historic Sites: "Stop at the office, near the historic entrance, for free, self-guided theme tours through Graceland Cemetery."
- Best for Historic Sites Because: The cemetery has been an "Oasis of Art, Architecture, and Landscape Design since 1860."
EXPERT TIPS BY:
Megy Karydes
Chicago Local Expert
- Sightseeing: "As with a visit to almost any cemetery, pets are not allowed on the grounds."
- Best for Sightseeing Because: Known as the "Cemetery of Architects," Graceland is the final resting place of some of Chicago's most famous public figures, including the father of skyscrapers.
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