Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Macchu Picchu
Peru • 10 days, 9 nights
Peru: Machu Picchu & the Last Incan Bridges
from
Central Asia yurt night stars
Uzbekistan • 15 days, 14 nights
Central Asia Road Trip: Backroads & Bazaars
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
Saquon Barkley Plaque
Kirkkasik Bedesten inside
Kirkkasik Bedesten
Someshwar Temple
Someshwar Temple
Grilled cheese and tomato soup are soulmates.
The Palisades Restaurant
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
The local catch is delicious fried as well.
Terry's of Charlevoix
Carlson’s Fishery is a Great Lakes institution.
Carlson’s Fishery
The Cathedral Café maintains the building’s original church exterior.
Cathedral Café
Exterior of the historic Dyffryn Arms pub.
Dyffryn Arms
Most of what’s on the menu here comes from Michigan.
The Glenwood
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
Siegfried Tieber specializes in sleight-of-hand magic using small objects, as well as mentalism, which gives the illusion of reading minds.
Does a Magician Really Never Reveal Their Tricks? AO Wants to Know.
12 days ago
Decoy’s wines reflect the terroir of California.
How a Wooden Duck Migrated From the California Wetlands to a Wine Label
14 days ago
There’s more to the French capital than the Eiffel Tower.
Dear Atlas: What Are Some Non-Touristy Things to Do in Paris?
18 days ago
The plants around Liz Dauncey in this photo are not poisonous, but many common garden and houseplants are.
Are Some of Your Favorite Houseplants Poisonous? AO Wants to Know.
25 days ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All the United States Massachusetts Boston King's Chapel Crypt

King's Chapel Crypt

A more than 260-year-old crypt built on Boston's oldest English burial ground.

Boston, Massachusetts

Added By
faye
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
Stranger’s Tomb exterior.   faye / Atlas Obscura User
Stranger’s Tomb exterior.   faye / Atlas Obscura User
Inscription above Barrell tomb in the crypt.   faye / Atlas Obscura User
  faye / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

As the population of Puritan-dominated Boston grew over the second half of the 17th century, the number of Anglican residents did as well, leading to the establishment of King’s Chapel in June of 1686. But the Puritan residents of Boston did not allow the Church of England in quite that easily.

The chapel's first minister, Robert Ratcliffe, along with the widely hated Royal Governor Edmund Andros, spent two years unsuccessfully searching for suitable land to build the church on. Finally, the Royal Governor seized the corner of the Old Burying Ground, which is now known as King’s Chapel Burying Ground, despite it predating the Anglican church by over 50 years.

The wooden chapel was completed in 1688, and expanded in 1754 out of sturdier granite. During the reconstruction, the congregation decided to include a crypt beneath the chapel. Twenty-one tombs were installed and purchased by some of the most prominent families in Boston.

The most significant burials include Governor William Shirley, merchant Joseph Barrel, and respected physician Thomas Bulfinch. Bulfinch’s son, Charles, was the architect who designed the current Massachusetts State House and worked on the U.S. Capitol dome, along with many other architectural contributions. He was originally buried in their family tomb at King’s Chapel, but was moved to Mount Auburn cemetery by his son around 1850. Shortly thereafter, the church decided to close the tombs, as crypt burials fell out of fashion due to the rising popularity of rural cemeteries like Mount Auburn.

Tomb 21, located directly under the bell tower, is known as the “Strangers’ Tomb.” It contains around 30 to 50 individual burials, most likely people who came from outside the city of Boston and died without means to pay for a burial. There is one notable burial in the Stranger’s Tomb, that of the Chevalier de Saint-Sauveur, a French Naval officer killed in 1778.

The Chevalier was a lieutenant aboard Le Tonnant, a French ship on its way to the Revolutionary War, when he got caught up in a riot that broke out near the wharf. He was killed by a blow to the head as he and other officers tried to break up the crowd. The Massachusetts government, trying to ease tensions with the French, promised to give the Chevalier a proper burial and a monument. He was quietly buried in the Strangers’ Tomb to avoid further controversy, as Catholicism was still illegal and stigmatized in Boston.

The monument itself was delayed by the chaos of war and the formation of the new nation, as well as the intention that the Chevalier would be moved to a place of greater prominence, where an appropriate memorial could be constructed. But he stayed in the Strangers’ Tomb and the monument was finally constructed in 1916. It stands on the Tremont Street side of the church, to the left of the main doors.

King’s Chapel was host to a number of more public funerals including of Revolutionary leader Joseph Warren, Senator Charles Sumner, Oliver Wendell Holmes, and other prominent Bostonians. 

Related Tags

Churches Religion Tombs History American Revolution Subterranean Underground Burial Places Catacombs And Crypts Sacred Spaces Military

Know Before You Go

General admission to visit the sanctuary is $5 per person. Tours of the crypt and belfry (the “Bell and Bones Tour”) cost $15 for Adults, $10 Students/Seniors. The schedule is usually hourly, but it is highly recommended to check the website when planning your visit. As an active church, there are often services and other events that may affect hours.

Community Contributors

Added By

faye

Edited By

noahgrace1616

  • noahgrace1616

Published

September 28, 2018

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
King's Chapel Crypt
58 Tremont St
Boston, Massachusetts
United States
42.358063, -71.060014
Visit Website
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Charles Dickens' Door and Mirror

Boston, Massachusetts

miles away

Democratic Donkey and Republican Footprints

Boston, Massachusetts

miles away

Tremont Temple

Boston, Massachusetts

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Boston

Boston

Massachusetts

Places 127
Stories 32

Nearby Places

Charles Dickens' Door and Mirror

Boston, Massachusetts

miles away

Democratic Donkey and Republican Footprints

Boston, Massachusetts

miles away

Tremont Temple

Boston, Massachusetts

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Boston

Boston

Massachusetts

Places 127
Stories 32

Related Places

  • The crypt.

    Ripon, England

    Ripon Cathedral Crypt

    Reputedly based on the tomb of Jesus Christ, this crypt is the oldest surviving structure of any cathedral in England.

  • The mausoleum of General San Martín.

    Buenos Aires, Argentina

    Mausoleum of José de San Martín

    The final resting place of the liberator of Argentina is guarded around the clock by two soldiers.

  • Stained-glass window depicting Washington at prayer.

    King of Prussia, Pennsylvania

    Washington Memorial Chapel

    An eccentric priest's tribute to George Washington, this chapel tells the story of the American Revolution.

  • Montcassino Abbey.

    Cassino, Italy

    Montecassino Abbey

    This breathtaking monastery was established by Saint Benedict himself 1,500 years ago.

  • Pskov-Caves Monastery.

    Pechory, Russia

    Pskov-Caves Monastery

    This 15th-century cave complex is one of the very few monasteries to stay open throughout World War II and the Soviet regime.

  • The Rotunda of Mosta.

    Mosta, Malta

    Rotunda of Mosta

    This spectacular dome managed to survive after being bombed in World War II, in an event known as the "Miracle of Mosta."

  • Rabat, Malta

    St. Cataldus Catacombs

    Overshadowed by other, more famous Maltese catacombs, this ancient burial chamber has one of the best examples of a ritual agape table.

  • The medieval Church of Saint Nicholas.

    Ireland

    The Lost Town of Newtown Jerpoint (Jerpoint Park)

    Local legend says the remains of Father Christmas lie within the medieval grounds.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.