After being prosecuted for gross indecency in 1895, Oscar Wilde spent his final years in Paris. His reputation destroyed, he died penniless in a shabby hotel. His last words, probably apocryphal, were “Either the drapes or I must go.”

In 1914, Sir Jacob Epstein unveiled his memorial to Wilde at his grave in Père Lachaise. Wilde had emerged as the first great campaigner for gay rights, and he had been ruined for his efforts.

The Tombe de Oscar Wilde should be on your bucket list if you’re in Paris. It’s one of the most important LGBT+ landmarks in Paris and, frankly, the world.

How to Get There:

• By Metro: Take Line 2 to the Philippe Auguste station or Line 3 to the Père Lachaise station. Both stations are within a short walking distance from the cemetery.

• By Bus: Bus lines 61 and 69 stop near the cemetery.

Once inside, Wilde's tomb is located in Division 89, marked by a striking modernist sculpture by Jacob Epstein. Visitors often leave lipstick marks on the tomb, despite efforts to protect it, as a tribute to Wilde's life and work.