New York City Marble Cemetery

NYCMC (acronym mine) is open to the public on the occasional weekend, but there honestly is not much advantage over viewing from the street on any other day. That said, it’s pretty beautiful.

This cemetery is open less than once a month – the schedule typically includes the warm months, of course. People are welcome to bring their (leashed) dogs, to feel the all-​too-​rare grass under their feet.
The cemetery was started before germ theory took hold in this country, so all the burial vaults are lined with marble – hence the name. Because most headstones are flush with the ground, there is a peaceful, pastoral feeling.
I was last there on an open day, and I saw a few people bring in their dogs; some dogs in the city have never felt grass beneath their feet! Truly great to see the reaction!

The marble cemetery, hidden among one of the east side’s side streets, is the resting place of some city royalty in an unexpected place. Though the history is interesting, the cemetery is fairly small and not open to the public at most times so it’s really more of a quick stop by, not necessarily worth a full visit. If passing by, stop to see the graves of some of the city’s most notable families and even briefly, James Monroe. It is also the second oldest cemetery is the city, founded one year after the nearby confusingly named New York Marble Cemetery.

Such a cool spot — came during Open House NY. I never would’ve guessed this spot was here. Love finding hidden spots in NYC.

This review is not about the cemetery itself, but the cost of the visit.
I left a message asking info and was told that there is $ 50 minimum donation.
The place is beautiful (from outside), and it looks peaceful and loaded with history. But I can’t see why they would charge so much. It was just me and my gf, not a 10-​people group. I found it to be way too expensive.

Attended the Espolon Tequila Crypt-​Side Cocktails event here as part of the Manhattan Cocktail Classic — great event and the cemetery was incredibly gorgeous and historic. The New York City Marble Cemetery is one of only a handle of cemeteries left on Manhattan Island, and most of these affiliated with churches or synagogues rather than free standing.
This one was founded in the early 19^th century when earth graves were outlawed below 86^th Street due to fears of Yellow Fever and deep marble vaults became popular. Beautiful marble crypt markings and monuments, presided over by a majestic tree.
The NYCMC is not usually open to the public, but if you check out their website, they usually host a few open house days over the course the year, or if you contact them they can arrange a private tour for a donation towards the cemetery’s upkeep — a worthy cause.

An
Empty
Field hidden
Behind buildings
With thousands of Old New York down below.

A fully intact, well-​preserved cemetery in the middle of Manhattan. Either I never walked down this street before, or I never noticed it. It was so solemn and out of place, it really captivated me. Apparently a number of important New Yorkers were buried here, including the Kip family (as in Kip’s bay), two NYC mayors, and a number of Roosevelts. One of those strange vestiges in a mecca of über-​modernity.