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Grave Undertakings

Explore Boston's burying grounds and learn about the customs surrounding death in Puritan New England

Gravestone reading Memento Mori

Tour Description

Explore three of downtown Boston's burying grounds and learn about the customs surrounding death and dying in Puritan New England. Dig deeper into the religious views, practices, symbolism, and traditions of death in Boston.

Beginning at King's Chapel Burying Ground, this tour will lift the veil of mystery surrounding gravestone art and how styles of gravestones changed over the years, how the poor were buried when there wasn’t room for a potter’s field, how the evolution of small, haphazardly laid out graveyards to modern-day suburban cemeteries was spearheaded in the Boston area.

Who knew death could be so much fun?

Tour Information

tour duration
DURATION

90 minutes

tour distance
DISTANCE

0.6 mile

tour terrain level 1
TERRAIN

mostly flat surfaces and little to no inclines

Public Tour Calendar

Private Tours

This tour can be scheduled as a private tour with advance notice. Call 617.367.2345 or use our private tour webform to learn more.

Starting Location

Meet your guide at the entrance to King's Chapel Burying Ground on Tremont Street.

Finding Your Guide: All guides carry an 8x11 sign that says "Boston By Foot Walking Tours."

Nearest Accessible MBTA Station: Park Street (Green & Red Lines) or Government Center (Blue & Green Lines)

Ending Location

This tour ends in the general area of the Central Burying Ground in Boston Common.

Nearest Accessible MBTA Station: Boylston (Green Line)

Trip Advisor Travellor's Choice Awards Winner 2024