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Polaroid of the Week: Breathtaking Sunset at Green-Wood Cemetery, Brooklyn

Polaroid of the Week: Breathtaking Sunset at Green-Wood Cemetery, BrooklynOne of the things I love most about New York City is its endless array of discoveries. I maintain a constantly growing Google Drive list of must-visit spots—from beaches and parks to hidden plazas, unexplored neighborhoods, top restaurants, cozy coffee shops, pizza joints, art galleries, and bars. Despite crossing off items regularly, the list only expands. During my recent NYC visit, I checked off several while adding even more, including a long-awaited trip to photograph the iconic Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn.

I had passed through once before on a run, armed only with my iPhone camera. This time, on a sunny autumn day, I returned with my DSLR and newly repaired lens. Skipping summer was a silver lining—the fallen leaves and vibrant fall foliage lent an enchanting atmosphere to the grounds.

Green-Wood Cemetery stands as one of America's most renowned burial sites. Its naturalistic, hilly terrain features ponds, centuries-old trees, and an eclectic mix of graves, tombstones, obelisks, and mausoleums.

Spanning 478 acres (1.9 km²) atop Green-Wood Hill—with stunning Manhattan skyline views—this vast site holds over 600,000 graves. It is the final resting place for New York's elite industrialists, artists, politicians, and notable figures. Its prestige is captured in the famous quote: ‘It is the ambition of the New Yorker to live upon the Fifth Avenue, to take his airings in Central Park, and to sleep with his fathers in Green-Wood.’

My afternoon exploration ended abruptly as dusk fell around 4:45 p.m. Though initially disappointed not to see everything, the twilight transformed the experience. The setting sun's warm hues illuminated the red and yellow leaves in a stunning display. I've shared additional unedited photos from Green-Wood on my Facebook page—check them out here.

Do you visit cemeteries on your travels?


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