Today Naked Ireland goes exotic and we’re visiting the Père Lachaise cemetery in Eastern Paris. Père Lachaise is the cemetery where one of Ireland’s greatest writers is buried, and so after having visited the graves of WB Yeats and Seamus Heaney in previous videos, today we, seek out the particularly spectacular grave of Oscar Wilde. See links to the associated videos below:

A lot of work goes into these videos. You can now buy me a pint as a means of appreciation for my work on Naked Ireland, no obligation, obviously - only if you can afford it... I appreciate it. Cheers.
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Seamus Heaney:
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W.B. Yeats:
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Oscar Wilde’s grave is right at the back of the cemetery, so this gives me the chance to talk a bit about Wilde before we arrive at the grave, and we can learn a bit about the very beautiful Pere Lachaise while we’re at it.

The cemetery is located in Paris’ 20th Arrondisement and sits on 110 acres, which is quite an oasis when you consider the density of central Paris.

Oscar Wilde was one of the most celebrated poets and playwrights and his output include the celebrated novel Picture of Dorian Gray and the plays Lady Windermere’s fan, The importance of being Ernest and Salome (which was written in French).

The design of the cemetery is by neoclassical architect Alexandre-Theodore Brongniart and the cemetery is laid out in what the French describe as an English style garden. In other words, a garden that has uneven and un-parallel paths and planted with a range of diverse trees. That random approach to the path layout is certainly the case in the lower part of the cemetery, however, towards the back where we are headed that layout is more uniform with paths running in a grid form.

The funerary chapel was erected by Étienne-Hippolyte Godde who was also responsible for that really attractive Neoclassical entrance we saw on the way into the cemetery.

The renowned author who we’re paying pilgrimage to today is of course one of Ireland’s most famous sons. He was born in Dublin in 1854 and died in 1900. If you don’t know much about Wilde you’re probably wondering why he’s buried in Père Lachaise and not in Ireland like Yeats and Heaney. Oscar Wilde died in exile in Paris after having been imprisoned with hard Labour in England after being convicted of gross indecency after a homosexual relationship with the young Lord Alfred Douglas. It was a scandal that shook British Society and one from which Wilde never recovered. He was released from prison a broken man. His death in Paris permitted him to be buried in Pere Lachaise.

We visit the Columbarium, which holds the remains of those who requested cremation. It is in Byzantine Revival style and was designed by Jean-Camille Formigé in 1894 as the first crematorium in France. Cremation wasn’t a popular option at this time and in fact not until the end of the 20th Century. You can see here the two huge chimineys, presumably serving the incinerators used in cremations.

The cemetery is a popular destination for tourists, not only because of the famous people buried here, Jim Morrison, Sarah Bernhardt, Chopin…the list goes on, but as it’s a peaceful and beautiful place to stroll and escape busy Paris which lies just beyond the cemetery walls.

The 89th Division is the area where Wilde's grave is to be found.

The beautiful grave of Oscar Wilde was designed by Sir Jacob Epstein. Originally this Modernist Angel was replete with male genitalia, which was censured by the French authorities by covering it with a gold leave. That particular part of the statue has since been vandalised and the genitals have never been recovered. However, this violation, as well as the numerous lipstick marks that were constantly being left on the side of the tomb, led to the installation of a plexiglass screen, which I feel is in itself a further violation of the memory of a man who devoted himself so completely to Art.

Wilde’s imfamous last quip from his paris hotel where he was in exile was "My wallpaper and I are fighting a duel to the death. One of us has got to go" – I imagine he would have something to say about the irony of this plexiglass.

Oscar Wilde Wikipedia:
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Père Lachaise Wikipedia:
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