The Unknown Warrior

The grave of the Unknown Warrior rests in the west nave of Westminster Abbey and serves as the final resting place for an unidentified British serviceman who died in the First World War. This stone slab is unique in the Abbey because it is the only one that visitors are strictly forbidden from walking on, a gesture of respect toward the millions of service personnel who have no known grave. The floor surrounding the tomb contains soil brought specifically from battlefields in France to ensure the warrior rests in the earth for which he died. A layer of black Belgian marble covers these remains, inscribed with words that honor his anonymity and sacrifice.