Receiving Tomb, from across Arbor Water, ca. 1880.

Horse-drawn hearse in front of the Receiving Tomb, as seen across Arbor Tomb, ca. 1865.

The Receiving Tomb, designed by Richard Upjohn, ca. 1875.

Green-Wood, with more than 600 mausoleums and other buildings, offers a spectacular display of nineteenth-century architectural styles. On the streets of New York, tearing down buildings every generation and replacing them with "the latest" has become something of a habit. But at Green-Wood, once a building goes up, it almost always stays up. Want to see what NYC's buildings looked like more than a century ago? You've come to the right place! This tour, a walk of about a half-mile, offers you a stroll through a quiet landscape as well as fascinating information about each of the five intriguing stops along the way. In order to walk it, you will proceed up the incline of Battle Hill to near the highest point in Brooklyn. Your legs will thank you! And if you would like to explore more of Green-Wood, get our app at the App Store. Trees, monuments, great stories, and more!

The Receiving Tomb, designed by Richard Upjohn, ca. 1875. Receiving tombs were a staple in nineteenth century cemeteries, serving as a holding space for caskets until they were ready for interment. They were especially important during the cold winter months, when the frozen ground made digging impossible.

Rear entrance of the Receiving Tomb, ca. 1860.

Arbor Water, with a view of the Receiving Tomb along Willow Avenue, ca. 1865.

Founded in 1838 and now a National Historic Landmark, Green-Wood was one of the first rural cemeteries in America. By the early 1860s, it had earned an international reputation for its magnificent beauty and became the prestigious place to be buried, attracting 500,000 visitors a year, second only to Niagara Falls as the nation’s greatest tourist attraction. Crowds flocked there to enjoy family outings, carriage rides, and sculpture viewing in the finest of first generation American landscapes. Green-Wood’s popularity helped inspire the creation of public parks, including New York City’s Central and Prospect Parks. This tour takes you through some of the monuments of Green-Wood and its famous denizens.