Arlington National Cemetery

Address:Arlington, Virginia

Commemorate the lives of 300,000 veterans from the American Revolution through the current wars in Afghanistan and Iraq who are laid to rest at the Arlington National Cemetery, a military cemetery established during the Civil War. The 624-acre cemetery located in Arlington, Virginia, offers the opportunity for solemn reflection among its fascinating memorials and monuments.

In June 1864, Secretary of War Edwin Stanton designated the former estate of Confederate General Robert E. Lee as the Arlington National Cemetery. In 1900, the remains of soldiers who died before the Civil War were reinterred at Arlington National Cemetery. Since then, Arlington National Cemetery has hosted the burials of 6,400 people per year, or 28 people per day.

The visitor center at Arlington National Cemetery contains exhibits detailing the history of the cemetery. Among the more notable sites at the cemetery are the Tomb of the Unknowns, which contains the unidentified remains of service members from World Wars I and II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. The Memorial Amphitheater at Arlington National Cemetery is home to what are considered to be the nation's official ceremonies to honor all American service members and features a box containing various artifacts from throughout American history, including a copy of the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, an American flag from 1915, and one of each American coin used in 1915. All sections at Arlington National Cemetery are open to self-guided tours that take around half a day to cover. After a visit to Arlington National Cemetery, visitors can find a variety of restaurants in the Arlington and Washington, D.C. area, including health food and Mexican cuisine.

To get to Arlington National Cemetery, visitors should take the Metro Blue Line to the Arlington National Cemetery Metro Station, with an exit right next to the visitor center.

Visit Arlington National Cemetery and commemorate America's fallen heroes.