Cimetière des Chiens et Autres Animaux Domestiques
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| Details | |
|---|---|
| Established | 1899 |
| Location | Asnières-sur-Seine |
| Country | France |
| Type | Pet cemetery |
| Style | Art Nouveau |
| Owned by | city of Asnières |
The Cimetière des Chiens et Autres Animaux Domestiques is often claimed to be the first zoological necropolis in the world (although this ignores ancient burial such as Askelon which predate it by thousands of years). It opened in 1899 at 4 pont de Clichy on Île des Ravageurs in Asnières-sur-Seine, Île-de-France, France.
Literally translated as the "Cemetery of Dogs and Other Domestic Animals," this elaborate pet cemetery is the burial site not only for many dogs but also for many cats, as well as a wide variety of pets ranging from horses to monkeys to lions and even fish.
Located in a northwest suburb of Paris, the pet cemetery caters to a very elite clientele. Filled with grand and ornate sculptures, at the entry is the monument to Barry,[1] a Saint Bernard mountain rescue dog who died in 1814. The plaque says that during his lifetime, "Barry" was responsible for saving the lives of 40 people lost or trapped in the mountain snow. (Barry himself is not buried at the cemetery, but stuffed and on display at the Swiss Natural History Museum in Bern).
The impressive entrance to the cemetery was designed by famous architect Eugene Petit in Art Nouveau style.[2]
Some of the cemetery's residents are famous in their own right such as Rin Tin Tin[3] , the star of a number of Hollywood films, while others are the beloved pets of the wealthy who could afford this elaborate burial place such as film director Sacha Guitry. Buried here too, is the pet lion of stage actress, feminist, and co-founder of the cemetery, Marguerite Durand and the pet of Camille Saint-Saëns, composer of Carnival of the Animals.
The cemetery today is operated by the city of Asnières and in 1987, the government of France classified the cemetery as a historical monument. However, the cemetery has fallen on hard times and no longer draws very many tourists. Its owners have stated that they may have to close it.[4]
References
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Cimetière des Chiens. |
- A short film on Youtube by Barbara Gordon
- Youtube Youtube Two short home videos of the cemetery in July 2008
- Official Website
- Cemetery Map
- Purr 'n' Fur: Le cimetiere des chiens, Asnieres-sur-Seine