Graveyards and cemeteries lend themselves to the spookiness of the haunting Halloween season. Cross-laden headstones are often used as backdrops to ghost stories and zombie apocalypses. With burials dating back thousands of years, Europe is home to some of the oldest and eerie cemeteries in the world. Here are six graveyards worth haunting … if you’re brave enough.

Père Lachaise – Paris, France

Due to the overcrowding of cemeteries in central Paris, the local government opted to open larger sites on the outskirts of the city. Cimetière du Père Lachaise on the east side opened in 1804 with just 13 graves. Today, more than 1 million souls are believed to have been buried on the site. With narrow plots, tree-lined hilly cobblestone pathways, the non-denominational cemetery is one of the most-visited in the world. Notable celebrities include Molière, Chopin, Gertrude Stein, and The Doors front-man Jim Morrison.

Greyfriars Kirkyard | Photo by Steve AllenUK

Greyfriars Kirkyard – Edinburgh, Scotland

Perched along the hillside behind the Old Town, Greyfriars Kirkyard has seen interments since the 1500s. Guarding the entrance is a bronze statue of Greyfriars Bobby, a loyal terrier who watched over the grave of his master for 14 years. Inside the cemetery, you’ll notice weathered headstones with names such as Tom Riddell, Esq. and William McGonagall — from which J.K. Rowling garnered inspiration for some of her famous “Harry Potter” characters.

St. Mary’s Churchyard – Whitby, England

With a stunning view of the North Sea in northeastern England, St. Mary’s Churchyard is rich with ghoulish literary history. Tombstones dating back to the Middle Ages populate this graveyard. Bram Stoker’s haunting tale, “Dracula” takes place in the cemetery and surrounding community. Graves with skulls and crossbones etched in stone add themselves to the mystique. Tragic nursery rhyme heroes Humpty Dumpty and Tom Thumb are rumored to have been buried here.

Gravestones at the old Jewish cemetery. | Photo by Jaroslav Moravcik

Old Jewish Cemetery – Prague, Czech Republic

Established in the early 15th century, this cemetery is one of the oldest Jewish burial grounds in Europe still intact. Located in the heart of old town Prague, more than 12,000 worn headstones dot the graveyard almost in a haphazard fashion. However, because of religious customs and beliefs, when space became scarce, a new layer of soil was added and the newly deceased were buried atop the old. Thus several layers of souls have been laid to rest here.

Monumental Cemetery of Staglieno | Photo by Fabio Lotti

Monumental Cemetery of Staglieno – Genoa, Italy

Situated on a hillside on the outskirts of Genoa, Italy is one of Europe’s largest cemeteries — Cimitero Monumentale di Staglieno. Opened in 1851, this graveyard resembles an Italian sculpture garden. Grandiose and borderline ostentatious statues (including a Pantheon) mark family burial plots, crypts and mausoleums. Many of the sculptures are carved so ornately, they appear to be loved ones mourning the departed.

Skogskyrkogården — Stockholm, Sweden

Translating to “The Woodland Cemetery” in English, the Skogskyrkogården in Stockholm, Sweden has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage site. Just south of the city, this relatively newer resting place was founded among nature. Tall pine trees envelop the graves peppering the vast landscape. Among the famous buried here is Hollywood starlet, Greta Garbo.

While these cemeteries invite visitors to wander and explore, please remember these are the final resting places for the dearly departed. Be sure to leave headstones and graves undisturbed and be respectful.