Montparnasse Cemetery, located in the same southern area of ​​Paris, recalls not so much the place of burial, and the city park - there are walking through the cemetery pass freely, "cutting corners." Its dimensions are small, fame - is much greater.

The cemetery in this part of the city appeared in 1824 and was initially called the South. In the first decades of its existence, it is nothing special. However, since the end of the XIX century Montparnasse because of cheapness of life it has become extremely attractive for poor artists, sculptors, writers. The names of many of them were made known, and was buried in the local cemetery has ashes of World Celebrities. Soon, the cemetery has become a prestigious resting place - there were buried not only cultural, but also well-known politicians, scientists.

That is why such a diverse list of names carved on the gravestones of Montparnasse. Lying here next prime minister Shahpur Bakhtiar Iran, Mexican President Porfirio Diaz, the ideologist of Ukrainian independence Symon Petliura, the founder of the largest French car manufacturer Andre Citroen. A nearby - the mathematician Gustave Coriolis, lexicographer Pierre Larousse, the poet Charles Baudelaire, Maupassant writers and Jean-Paul Sartre, chess player Alexander Alekhine.

The monuments in the cemetery often quite unusual. Here tombstone over the grave of the inventor of the gas lamp Charles Dude: under this very light on every detail fashioned brass bed sleeping wife inventor himself Dude close reading a book.

Equally unusual and tradition of the cemetery. On the grave of Serge Gainsbourg, "French Vysotsky", fans of the bard, actor and director bring cigarettes and lighters. In addition, on the tombstone always lie cabbages - is that Gainsbourg's head resembled this vegetable.

Cemetery full play to the role of City Park: here in good weather always walk mothers with prams, clerks from neighboring offices, sitting on benches, snack sandwiches. Here and took care of the tourists: the lodge guard at the entrance, you can get a free plan of the cemetery.