Rows of military grave markers, memorials, and monuments honor thousands of United States service members, including many soldiers who died during the Civil War, in a landscape closely associated with Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address.
Open year-round
No entrance fee required
How to Get There
From Gettysburg (1 mi): Follow South Washington Street south from downtown Gettysburg and continue directly to the cemetery entrance at 725 S Washington St.
Overview
The Gettysburg National Cemetery stands among the most significant memorial landscapes in the United States, preserving the resting place of thousands of soldiers and veterans whose service spans generations of American history. Established following the Battle of Gettysburg in 1863, the cemetery was created to provide honorable burials for Union soldiers who fell during the pivotal three-day battle. Visitors walking its carefully maintained grounds encounter orderly rows of white headstones, the Soldiers' National Monument, state memorial sections, and the site where President Abraham Lincoln delivered the immortal Gettysburg Address during the cemetery's dedication ceremony. The setting combines solemn remembrance with powerful historical symbolism, making it one of the most meaningful destinations associated with the American Civil War.
Beyond its connection to Lincoln's famous speech, the cemetery continues to serve as an active national cemetery and commemorative landscape. Monuments, memorial plaques, and burial sections tell stories of sacrifice from the Civil War through later military conflicts, while mature trees and open lawns create a reflective atmosphere for visitors. Located adjacent to Gettysburg National Military Park, the cemetery provides a compelling complement to battlefield tours, allowing travelers to connect the events of the battle with the human cost of war. Seasonal ceremonies, particularly around Memorial Day and Veterans Day, further reinforce the cemetery's enduring role as a place of national remembrance and historical education.
This article uses material from the Wikipedia articles and official tourism pages for the Gettysburg National Cemetery, which are released under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike License 3.0 and the GNU Free Documentation License.
