History of Akbar’s Mausoleum

Akbar’s Mausoleum is the final resting place of the third Mughal Emperor, Abu Akbar, known as Akbar the Great (1542-1605). Having succeeded to the throne from his father Humayun at the age of thirteen, Emperor Akbar is known for having been an effective leader, recapturing much of the land lost by his predecessors and vastly expanding the empire.

Emperor Akbar was also a Muslim leader of a mostly Hindu nation and was famously tolerant of all religions, abolishing discriminatory laws and taxes.

The Mausoleum of Emperor Akbar was started by Akbar and completed by his son, Jahangir. Beautifully ornate and neatly symmetrical, it reflects both Muslim and Indian influences including combining traditional red sandstone inlaid with ornate white, yellow and blue marble geometric and floral patterns with Islamic elements such as its four, three-tiered minarets.

Akbar’s Mausoleum was ransacked and looted during a 17th century Jat rebellion: one account even described the tomb itself being opened and Akbar’s bones being burnt.

Major repairs and restoration work was undertaken in the late 19th century under the direction of George Curzon, the then Viceroy of India.

Akbar’s Mausoleum today

The magnificent mausoleum is open from dawn to dusk daily: the gardens around the tomb itself are lush and filled with wildlife. Local guides are ready and willing to offer their services (for a fee of course) and can be extremely helpful in revealing some of the details of the building if you’re interested.

Getting to Akbar’s Mausoleum

The mausoleum lies 10km outside of Agra, in the nearby town of Sikandra. Cheap as chips local buses will get you there in 45 minutes, or else take a tuktuk a pay a little more. Make sure to agree the amount in advance!

History of the Barclay de Tolly Mausoleum

A member of minor Baltic German nobility with Scottish ancestry (descended from Clan Barclay of Towie Castle in Aberdeenshire), Barclay enlisted in the Russian Imperial Army at a young age and participated in a number of campaigns against the Ottoman Empire and Poland during the second half of Catherine the Great’s reign.

Serving as a Major General in the 1807 campaign against Napoleon, Barclay skilfully commanded part of the rearguard at the Battle of Eylau, receiving a heavy wound to the arm. His exploits won him promotion to the rank of Lieutenant General and brought him to the attention of Tsar Alexander I.

Having narrowly avoided the amputation of his arm, Barclay returned to service during the Russo-Swedish War of 1808-09, which resulted in the incorporation of Finland into the Russian Empire. Barclay was appointed as the second Russian Governor-General of Finland.

Barclay was then appointed to head the Ministry of Military Affairs in 1810. With the diplomatic relationship between Russia and France deteriorating, Russia made preparations for a future conflict with Napoleon. Barclay was a talented military reformer, making logistical improvements to ensure the Russian army would be well-supplied with men and resources, establishing an espionage network throughout Europe and updating field regulations to simplify the chain of command.

When Napoleon began his invasion in June 1812, Barclay was appointed commander of the First Army. Heavily outnumbered, Barclay pursued a defensive scorched earth strategy – opposed by Bagration (commander the Second Army), and unpopular in the ranks and at court. Suspected of being a general traitor, Barclay lost his overall command to Mikhail Kutuzov.

At the Battle of Borodino, Barclay sought to redeem himself and exposed himself to great danger, rallying the troops at the crucial positions in the battlefield. After a bloody stalemate, Barclay persuaded Kutuzov to avoid another engagement with Napoleon before Moscow. Soon after, Kutuzov merged the First and Second Armies, leaving Barclay without an effective command. He left the army due to ill health, returning to his estate in southern Estonia.

However, when Kutuzov died in the spring of 1813, Barclay succeeded him to become commander-in-chief, distinguishing himself in the battles of Kulm and Leipzig, as an allied coalition of Russia, Prussia, and Austria drove Napoleon back to France. In 1814 he led a detachment of Russian soldiers into Paris, forcing Napoleon to abdicate.

In 1815 following Napoleon’s escape from Elba Barclay once again commanded the Russian contingent, but Russian soldiers arrived after Napoleon had already between defeated by Britain and Prussia at Waterloo. Nevertheless, Barclay was awarded the title of Knyaz (prince) – a title usually reserved for hereditary Russian nobility.

From 1815-1818 Barclay continued to serve as commander-in-chief despite failing health. In early 1818 he obtained permission from the Tsar to seek treatment in Germany, but died en-route. His embalmed body was transported back to Russia and buried according to his wishes at his estate of Beckhof despite the Tsar’s wishes of interring him in the Kazan Cathedral in St Petersburg.

In 1823 a neoclassical mausoleum was built to the design of architect Apollon Shchedrin. Inside the mausoleum is a grandiose funerary monument by sculptor Vasily Demut-Malinovsky. The caskets of Barclay and his wife Auguste Eleanora are placed in a vault beneath the mausoleum.

The Barclay de Tolly Mausoleum

The mausoleum is open year-round, but hours vary by season. Pre-booking is essential. The site is quiet and peaceful: there are rarely large numbers of visitors, and it’s a nice place to come and reflect. Don’t expect your visit to last any more than an hour, even if you’re a military history buff.

Getting to the Barclay de Tolly Mausoleum

The mausoleum is located deep in southern Estonia, on route 183, a few kilometres north of route 69. Buses running from Tõrva stop right outside the mausoleum if you don’t have your own transport.

History of Bucharest Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

In 1923, it was decided to choose one of the fallen soldiers to represent all of those who had sacrificed their lives during war. A child whose father had died on the front in 1917 was chosen to select 10 unidentified soldiers to be exhumed and laid to rest in oak coffins, doubled with zinc, to rest inside the ‘Assumption of Mary’ Church in Marasesti. 

At the ceremony to bury the 10 coffins, the same child knelt in front of the fourth coffin lined up and said ‘this is my father.’ As a result, the Unknown Soldier’s Coffin was placed on a processional train, adorned in full Romanian Tricolor, and was greeted by King Ferdinand, State Officials, and an honour guard.

After an extensive procession and being laid in state for the public to pay their last respects, the coffin was laid to rest inside a crypt in Carol Park with full military honours, and in the presence of the Royal family, Government, and members of Parliament.

Controversially, one night in December 1958, the Unknown Soldier crypt was very secretly dismantled and moved to the Marasesti Mausoleum by the Communist regime to make room for the Mausoleum of the Communist Heroes, where several leaders of the party were later buried.

After the fall of the regime in 1991, the Tomb was moved close to its original site in Carol Park. In 2007, the tomb was moved even closer to its original 1923 location, next to the Communist mausoleum.

Bucharest Tomb of the Unknown Soldier today

The Tomb is a popular and sombre tourist attraction, with frequent changing of the guard displays consistently drawing a crowd. The area is considered a sacred one, and bicycles, roller skates, scooters, prams and so on are banned from the area. The tomb borders the picturesque Carol Park which features a French Garden, historical monuments, and a lake. 

Getting to The Bucharest Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

The Tomb is a 22 minute walk and a 6 minute drive through the scenic centre of Bucharest. It is on the edge of Carol Park, a picturesque park

History of Catedral Metropolitana

Buenos Aires was founded in 1580 by Juan de Garay: simultaneously, a spot on the main square (now known as Plaza de Mayo) was reserved for a church. The first church was part of the diocese of Asunción (in modern day Paraguay), and was built of wood. In 1620, Buenos Aires was given a bishopric by Pope Paul V, which gave its church the status of a cathedral.

Multiple rebuildings occurred during the 17th and 18th centuries, often using poor quality building materials. The current cathedral was designed by an Italian architect, Antonio Masella, in the mid 18th century – it was grander and more majestic than any incarnations which had come before it, but still faced issues with the construction of the dome, which proved problematic.

The neoclassical façade was added in the 19th century, inspired by the Palais Bourbon in Paris. The addition of the portico has led to many saying the building resembles a temple as opposed to a church. The reliefs on the pediment depict the reunion of Joseph with his father Jacob, and his brothers – an allegory of the Argentine nation being together in harmony once more following several wars of fratricide. 

The cathedral’s modern day claim to fame comes from it being the cathedral and diocese where Jorge Bergoglio, now Pope Francis, served as Archbishop of Buenos Aires from 1998 to 2013.

As the main church of the Archdiocese of Buenos Aires, Catedral Metropolitana forms the centre of catholic life in the city. Catedral Metropolitana contains the mausoleum of General San Martin, a central figure in Argentina’s struggle for independence from Spain. It also houses the tomb of the unknown soldier of Argentine independence and an eternal flame of remembrance.

Catedral Metropolitana today

The cathedral is open every day – check mass times as you won’t be allowed in unless you’re attending during service times. Entry is free, although donations are welcome, and you’ll need to dress conservatively – Argentina is still a Catholic country and it’s a mark of respect to cover up when entering.

The baroque interior is particularly impressive, as is the rococo altar. Look out for the mausoleum of Argentina’s independence hero, General José de San Martín – the flame outside representing his spirit being kept alive.

Getting to Catedral Metropolitana

The cathedral is on the north side of Plaza de Mayo: the nearest metro stop is Catedral, and buses stop close by, on Avenida Rivadavia.

History of the General Grant National Memorial

Ulysses S. Grant was the eighteenth President of the United States, first elected in 1868 and again in 1872. A fierce military leader, Grant led the Union forces to victory in Civil War battles such as Vicksburg and Chattanooga before claiming the ultimate victory – the surrender of Confederate forces – at Appomattox in 1865. In fact, Grant was already a veteran by the time he served in the American Civil War, having also served in the Mexican Wars.

Grant’s Tomb is a vast peak-domed complex in New York in which visitors can see this famous general’s tomb and learn more about his life and achievements. In fact, it is North America’s largest tomb and was completed 12 years after Grant’s death. Julia, Grant’s wife, is also interred here.

The cost of the tomb was crowdfunded – over 90,000 people donated to the fund, which resulted in almost $600,000 being raised for initial construction. The tomb is unmistakeably military in its influence and has been restored considerably in the second half of the 20th century after a period of neglect.

The General Grant National Memorial today

Visitors to the General Grant National Memorial can embark on self-guided tours and there are also free public tours hourly from 11am to 3pm. The memorial is open 10-5pm, Wednesday to Sunday, and is free. The Gaudi inspired benches around the mausoleum are a great spot to sit and contemplate the meaning of life, death and everything in between.

Getting to the General Grant National Memorial

The mausoleum is in Morningside Heights, Upper Manhattan. It’s a 10 minute walk from the nearest subway station, 116 Street – Columbia University. If you’re driving, it’s just off the Henry Hudson Parkway: you might struggle for parking.

History of the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum

Founder of the Viet Minh, the Vietnamese Communist Party, Ho Chi Minh went on to fight for Vietnam’s independence from the Japanese. The site on which the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum is located was where Ho declared independence from the Japanese in 1945. However, this was followed by a war with the French, after which Vietnam was divided. Ho Chi Minh became the leader of the communist North Vietnam.

Ho Chi Minh was still the President of North Vietnam during the Vietnam War, the notorious conflict between the USA and the North Vietnamese backed Vietcong which aimed to prevent the spread of communism. However, he died in on 2 September 1969, before the end of the war.

Ho Chi Minh expressly stated he only wanted a simple cremation, but between 1973 and 1975, a majestic mausoleum was constructed for his body using materials from all over Vietnam. Ho’s preserved body is on display in a glass sarcophagus for 10 months a year

Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum today

The mausoleum is open today the public on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday mornings, free of charge – hours vary slightly between summer and winter seasons. Ho’s body is normally removed for maintenance between September and early November.

There is almost always a queue to get in, and rules on entry are strict: you’ll need to cover your shoulders and knees, remove headwear, check bags, phones and cameras before entry, and you will be expected to walk round in respectful silence. Guards are on hand to tell you off if you don’t adhere to the rules.

Getting to Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum

Ho Chi Minh’s mausoleum is located in Hanoi, at the south end of the Presidential Palace complex. Enter on Ba Dinh Square: buses 22A, 45, 50, 09A, 09ACT and 18 all stop a short walk away. Any driver in the city should be able to get you here without any problems.

The intention in building the hill in Jingshan Park – a feat undertaken with a combination of manual labour and animals alone – was to protect Beijing from evil spirits.

Jingshan Park history

Jingshan dates back to the Liao and Jin dynasties, who ruled China over a millennia ago. However, it was under the 15th century Yongle Emperor of the Ming Dynasty that the 45 metre-high artificial hill was built. Made entirely of soil dug to create the moats of the Imperial Palace, as well as nearby canals, all of the soil was moved painstakingly by men and animals.

The 5 individual peaks of Jingshan Park were each topped with an elaborately decorated pavilion, used by imperial officials for meetings as well as leisure.

Jingshan Park today

Visitors to Jingshan Park can see numerous historic structures including the holy Hope Tower or ‘xiwanglou’, the coffins of the members of the Qing Dynasty at the Visiting Virtue Hall or ‘Guandedian’ and the site where the final emperor of the Ming Dynasty, Chongzhen, hung himself from a Chinese scholar tree (although the tree is no longer there).

Views from the top of the park stretch across Beijing. The park has also become a popular social spot amidst the bustling city streets – with people dancing, singing and telling stories via the tradition of kuaiban.

Getting to Jingshan Park

Just north of the Forbidden City, Jingshan Park has 4 entrances easily reached via public transport. The south entrance is located across Jingshan Front Street from the Forbidden City and is accessible by bus routes 101, 103, 109, 124, 202, 211, 609 and 685.

The west entrance on Jingshan West Street and Doushan Street is a short walk from the east gate of Beihai Park and is accessible by Bus routes 5 and 609. Trolleybus routes 111 and 124 stop at the east entrance.

History of La Recoleta

Franciscan monks first arrived in this area, then on the outskirts of Buenos Aires, in the early 18th century, and a cemetery was building around their convent and church. The order was disbanded in 1822, but the cemetery was converted into Buenos Aires’ first public cemetery.

The layout seen today was designed by a French engineer called Próspero Catelin in 1822, and resembles a city more than a burial ground with its impressive neo-classical gates opening up to winding tree-lined streets.

The site extends over 14 acres today, and contains 4691 vaults, all of which are above ground. 94 of these have been declared National Historic Monuments – they vary in architectural style from Baroque and Neo-Gothic to Art Deco and Art Nouveau, depending on when they were built.

Opulent and grand, La Recoleta Cemetery is characterized by a range of ornately decorated mausoleums, many of which are made of marble and adorned with statues. In fact, this over ground burial system is due to the fact that is anything buried underneath La Recoleta Cemetery’s marshy earth is likely to rise back to the surface.

La Recoleta Cemetery sees presidents and wealthy businessmen rub shoulders with poets, writers and boxers. Look out for presidents such as Raul Alfonsin, Arturo Umberto Illia, Hipólito Yrigoyen and Nicolás Avellaneda, one of Napoleon’s grandchildren Isabel Walewski Colonna and the boxer, Luis Ángel Firpo. It’s most famous resident is Eva Perón or “Evita”, who is buried in a black marble mausoleum owned by her family and listed under her maiden name “Maria Eva Duarte”.

La Recoleta today

The cemetery is one of Buenos Aires’ top attractions: you’ll want to pick up a map at the entrance and then spend several hours losing yourself in the maze of graveyards. There’s a wide variety of Argentina’s history on display and many of the country’s most famous and notable figures were laid to rest in La Recoleta.

You can peek into the crypts and explore pretty fully, but do so respectfully – it’s still an active graveyard.

Sometimes the sheer size of La Recoleta can feel overwhelming – hiring a guide is recommended, especially if you want to have a fuller picture of Argentina’s history, the architecture of the cemetery, and stories about some of the less well known residents who were buried here. Free guided tours in English run on Tuesdays and Thursdays – check online before going for precise times.

Getting to La Recoleta

The cemetery is in La Recoleta, in Barrio Norte, about 4km north of Plaza de Mayo. The nearest underground station is Las Heras, a 5 minute walk away. Buses also run frequently, and stop on Avenida Pueyrredon – you’ll want the 62, 92 or 93.

History of Lenin’s Mausoleum

Born Vladimir Ilich Ulyanov on 22 April 1870, Lenin was a member of the Bolshevik division of Russia’s Social Democratic Workers’ Party. A revolutionary thinker and philosopher Lenin became the leader of the Bolshevik party before ascending to power as the first head of state of Soviet Russia as part of a coup d’état known as the October Revolution of 1917.

Lenin died of a stroke on 22 January 1924: despite his wishes to be buried next to his mother in St Petersburg, his body was embalmed and put on public display. More than 100,000 Russians came to pay their respects and view Lenin’s body over the next 6-8 weeks, and eventually it was decided it would be kept in a permanent mausoleum (as opposed to the hastily erected wooden one) on display in perpetuity, helping to fuel the cult of personality surrounding Lenin.

Soviet leaders regularly used the viewing platform above the mausoleum to oversee parades on Red Square. Stalin’s embalmed body was also on display in the mausoleum from his death in 1953 to 1961, when Soviet premiers began to distance themselves from Stalin’s policies. Multiple other major names in Soviet history are buried at the Kremlin Wall, including Stalin, Brezhnev, and Yuri Gagarin, amongst many others.

Ongoing preservation works are being undertaken by the Soviet government, including regular touch-ups to Lenin’s embalmed body and to the mausoleum itself. Rumours continue abound that the body on display is actually a fake, but there’s little evidence for this.

Lenin’s Mausoleum today

The mausoleum is still a major attraction – millions of people have visited in the past 100 years, and there’s normally a queue outside. Entry is free, but expect to have your bags and belongings searched. Photography is forbidden, you must be silent and respectful, and guards fiercely monitor behaviour within the mausoleum itself. Closed Mondays, Fridays and Sundays – check before visiting as other major parades or public holidays also alter opening hours and days. Even when the mausoleum is open, hours are limited (normally 10am – 1pm).

Getting to Lenin’s Mausoleum

Lenin’s Mausoleum is located just off Moscow’s famous Red Square, neat the entrance to the Alexander Garden – it’s unmissable. Red Square is most easily accessed via the trio of metro stations – Okhotnyy ryad (line 1), Teatralnaya (line 2), Ploschad’ Revolyutsii (line 3). All three are a five minute walk away from Red Square. Approach via the Marshal Zhukov monument for the most memorable impression.

Les Invalides history

Les Invalides was a project ordered by Louis XIV in 1670 as a hospital and home for aged and injured soldiers. Designed by architect Libéral Bruant, the immense complex was completed in 1676, and boasted 15 courtyards, the largest being the cour d’honneur for military parades. By 1679, a second designer, Jules Hardouin-Mansart, finished both a chapel for the veterans and a private royal chapel known as the Église du Dôme for its 107m high domed roof that dominated the Paris skyline.

As the French Revolution dawned on 14 July 1789, Les Valides was stormed by rioters to seize the weapons stored there, in the process attacking an incarnation of French royalty’s military might. The weapons taken were used later the same day to take the Bastille.

From the 19th century, Les Valides continued to serve as a symbol of French power and integrity: Napoleon was entombed under the great dome in 1840, and in 1894, the degradation of Captain Alfred Dreyfus and his subsequent rehabilitation (1906) took place in front of the main building. All the while the complex retained its original purpose as a home for veterans, until the early 20th century, when veterans were homed in smaller complexes outside Paris.

From 1905, the building predominantly became home to the Musée de l’Armée.

Les Invalides today

Take a stroll through the formal lawns and gardens before exploring the collection of 50,000 objects housed by the Musee de l’Armée. The permanent collection includes military artefacts from the 13th to the 17th century. Visitors can walk through time viewing items from Antiquity to the Renaissance, stopping to learn about the Napoleonic Empires and two World Wars.

Visiting the museum, touring the grand tomb of Napoleon, and watching the presentation on Charles de Gaulle, will give you a thorough appreciation of how France has been shaped by war.

Getting to Les Invalides

From the nearby Élysée Palace or Musee du Louvre, Les Invalides is only a 2km walk away.  Via public transport from the Gare du Nord Station, you can reach Les Invalides by Metro, lines 4 and 8. The nearest bus stop is Esplanade des Invalides on the 69 bus.