We all love to explore unfound corners of the world from the comfort of home through services such as Google Maps. Upon seeing Wadi us-Salaam – which translates to Valley of Peace – you can be forgiven for thinking you were gazing upon a bustling metropolis. This ‘city’ in Iraq is actually the world’s largest graveyard. Covering 1,485 acres, it is large enough to be small town in somewhere like the United States.
It contains millions of buried bodies, and is the largest known graveyard in the world. Shiite religious beliefs believe that the souls of all faithful people will end up here, even if their body’s do not. The site has been active for 1,400 years, with an estimated 500,000 burials every year. The site features tombstones of the deceased were family members can come and pray. It even features armed guards due to the fighting occurring in and around the area.
