You’ll always find a great historical site in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Mount Auburn Cemetery is just one beautiful and fascinating spot to explore near our Cambridge apartments. Within 750 acres of parkland, crowned by stunning hilltop vistas, there are scores of notable spots. Here are highlights you won't want to miss:

Background and How to Tour

Dedicated in 1831, Mount Auburn became America's first garden-style burial ground. Mount Auburn's founders modeled the park after the famed Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris.

The grounds are open to visitors daily. Download Mount Auburn's mobile app for a free, self-guided tour. You can also explore the grounds with this interactive map.

The Mount Auburn Sphinx

The colossal granite Sphinx, a memorial for Civil War soldiers, is a stop along Cambridge's African American Heritage Trail. Of the cemetery's more than 93,000 graves and monuments, the Sphinx stands out as unique.

Cemetery founder Dr. Jacob Bigelow gifted it to Mount Auburn in 1872. The nearby Bigelow Chapel, graced with numerous lofty spires, also reflects Bigelow's romantic vision for the cemetery's design.

Washington Tower

Jacob Bigelow created the round Washington Tower to look like a medieval castle tower. Completed in 1854, he named it after our country's first president. The 62-foot tower marks the summit of Mount Auburn.

It's open to the public from April to October, weather permitting. Climb to the observation deck on a clear day and you'll be rewarded with panoramic views of the cemetery, Harvard, Boston, and the Charles River.

Auburn Lake

Auburn Lake is one of the best locations on the grounds to observe wildlife. It is home to frogs, turtles, herons, wild turkeys, owls, and hawks, among others. The Massachusetts Audubon Society has designated Mount Auburn as an Important Bird Area. Though Mount Auburn is especially known for its spring migrants, dozens of bird species inhabit the cemetery all year round.

Beside this historical site in Cambridge, the neighborhood offers many scenic parks as well. When you'd like to know more about Luxe at Alewife, contact us. We will schedule a personalized tour of our Cambridge apartments.