Opened in 1858, Bellu Cemetery is not just a burial ground but a living archive of Romania’s cultural and political elite. Built on land donated by Barbu Bellu, a jurist and politician, the cemetery covers over 28 hectares in southern Bucharest. It is the final resting place of national icons like Mihai Eminescu, I. L. Caragiale, George Coșbuc, and George Enescu, alongside other notable and sometimes controversial historical figures. 

Bellu is renowned for its elaborate funerary monuments, blending styles from neo-Gothic to Art Nouveau, many of them created by prominent sculptors. The tombs are more than graves—they’re stories carved in stone, often featuring symbols like angels, books, or Masonic emblems. Today, Bellu serves as both an active cemetery and a cultural landmark, drawing in historians, tourists, and photographers intrigued by its silent grandeur. 

Photo by Joe Mabel