If you’re driving through the Shenandoah Valley, you might find yourself in Lexington, Virginia. It’s a quiet town, mostly dominated by the massive limestone walls of VMI and the red brick of Washington and Lee University. People come here for the history, sure, but there's one specific spot that brings out the crowds more than anything else: the grave of Robert E. Lee.
Funny thing is, if you ask someone where he’s buried, half of them will guess Arlington National Cemetery. Makes sense, right? He lived there. His house is the big white mansion on the hill. But no, Lee isn’t at Arlington. He’s in a basement under a chapel he helped build.
Honestly, the site has changed a lot lately. If you haven't been there in the last couple of years, you might not even recognize the way they talk about it now. It’s a bit of a lightning rod for controversy these days, but the physical reality of the tomb remains a piece of 19th-century engineering and family devotion that’s worth seeing regardless of where you stand on the man himself.
The Chapel That Isn't Called Lee Anymore
For over a century, everyone called it Lee Chapel. Simple. Direct. But in 2021, the Board of Trustees at Washington and Lee University decided to change it back to its original 19th-century name: University Chapel.
You've gotta understand how central this building was to Lee. When he took the job as president of Washington College (it didn't have the "Lee" in the name yet), the school was broke. Barely had any students. He basically saved the place. One of his first big projects was this chapel. He didn't want a "shrine." He wanted a place for the students to gather for morning prayer. He actually oversaw the construction daily, using the same engineering skills he'd used back in his army days.
Today, when you walk in, the atmosphere is heavy. It feels like a church, but it functions like a museum.
What happened to the statue?
The most famous part of the chapel isn't the grave itself, but the Recumbent Lee statue. It’s this massive, white marble sculpture by Edward Valentine showing Lee asleep in his uniform. People used to walk right up to it. Now? There's a partial wall.
The university put up a freestanding wall in 2023 to "physically separate" the auditorium where students gather from the memorial sculpture. It was a compromise. Some people wanted the statue gone; others wanted it left alone. Now, you have to walk around the partition to see it. It’s a weird vibe—sort of a "now you see him, now you don't" approach to history.
Getting Down to the Crypt
The actual grave of Robert E. Lee isn't under that marble statue. That’s a common mistake.
To find the body, you have to go downstairs. The lower level houses the Lee Family Crypt. It’s a small, somber room with a series of marble tablets on the wall. It’s not just him down there. You’ve got his wife, Mary Custis Lee, his seven children, and even his parents.
- "Light-Horse Harry" Lee: His father, a Revolutionary War hero, is buried there too.
- The Office: Right next to the crypt is Lee’s office, preserved exactly as it looked the last day he used it in 1870.
- The Artifacts: Most of the Confederate flags and portraits that used to be in the main chapel have been moved to the museum galleries downstairs or are being prepared for a new "Institutional History Museum."
The museum is currently undergoing a massive overhaul. In March 2025, the university announced a six-month closure starting in October 2025 for HVAC updates and a total refresh of the exhibits. If you’re planning a trip in early 2026, you’ll likely be seeing the "new" version of the galleries, which focus more on the "complicated history" of the school rather than just the Lee family.
Don't Forget the Horse
You can't talk about the grave without mentioning Traveller.
Lee’s famous horse is buried just outside the chapel. If you walk around the brick exterior, you’ll see a small plaque on the ground. People used to leave pennies (heads down, as a sign of disrespect to Lincoln, or heads up for luck—it depends on who you ask) and apples on the grave.
The university has tried to discourage the "shrine" aspect of the horse grave recently, but old habits die hard in Lexington. It’s still one of the most visited spots on campus.
Logistics: How to Visit in 2026
If you’re actually going to make the trip, don't just wing it. The rules have changed.
- Check the Hours: The University Chapel (formerly Lee Chapel) is usually open Monday through Saturday, but they close for university events and holidays.
- The Renovation Gap: Remember that the chapel is scheduled for significant preservation work through early 2026. Always check the official Washington and Lee website before you drive three hours into the mountains.
- Parking: Lexington is a nightmare for parking. Use the public spots downtown and just walk the two blocks to the campus. It’s a pretty walk anyway.
- No Admission Fee: It’s free. You don't need a ticket.
- The Other "Lee" Spot: If you want the full story, you should also visit Grace Episcopal Church (formerly R.E. Lee Memorial Church) nearby. Lee was a senior warden there. Like the chapel, they changed their name recently to distance themselves from the Confederate branding.
Is it worth the trip?
Look, the grave of Robert E. Lee isn't just a tomb. It’s a window into how Americans are still fighting over the Civil War.
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You’ll see people there in tears, and you’ll see people there who are clearly uncomfortable. It’s a place of deep nuance. You have the "Lost Cause" crowd who see it as a holy site, and you have students who walk past it every day wishing it wasn't there.
Lexington itself is beautiful. You’ve got the George C. Marshall Museum right down the street and the Virginia Military Institute (where Stonewall Jackson is buried in the town cemetery—different spot!).
Your Next Steps
If you're planning a visit, start by checking the Washington and Lee University Chapel Galleries official page to ensure the 2025-2026 renovations haven't extended their timeline. After that, look into the Institutional History Museum updates. They’re moving a lot of the items that used to be around the grave into this new space to provide "context." If you want to see the old-school, unvarnished version of the site, those days are mostly gone. You're going to get a more academic, curated experience now.
Pack a pair of comfortable walking shoes. Lexington is hilly, and the walk from the town parking lots up to the chapel can be a bit of a workout.