Roman Catholic Cemetery, Agra

One of the oldest catholic cemeteries in Northern India, Roman Catholic Cemetery is located on the eastern side of Mahatma Gandhi Road close to the Civil Court of Agra. Enclosed by a wall, the comparatively small graveyard is a home to the graves of a host of historic personalities including adventurers, artisans and soldiers from Europe and India.

The Tomb of Colonel John William Hessing, a Dutch mercenary from Utrecht, Holland, who arrived in the Indian sub-continent in 1700s and subsequently died here is situated close to the main gate. His family wanted to build a tomb in his memory on the lines of the Taj Mahal. Since they had limited resources they could come up with what can be called a miniature Taj Mahal. The simple square tomb is built with red sand stone.

Though bereft of expensive decorations, the facade is decorated with floral designs. The cemetery is also the final resting place of several other notable historical personalities including General Perron, John Midenhall, the English ambassador to the Mughal Court, and Italian architect Jerome Veronio among many others.