Punchbowl Crater Hawaii
September 30, 2009
Image via WikipediaPunchbowl Crater is an extinct volcanic tuff cone located in the heart of Honolulu. Translated from Hawaiian, Punchbowl means “Hill of Sacrifice,” in relation to the crater’s historical significance as a altar of sacrifice where ancient Hawaiians offered sacrifices to pagan gods and killed violators of many taboos. Eventually, Punchbowl was used as a lookout over the harbors below and two cannons were installed to serve as a salutary announcement of the arrival of distinguished guests. Due to Punchbowl’s unusual shape and slanted hills, it has become the site of several condos sale Oahu Hawaii. Many of the condominiums on the slopes of Punchbowl have excellent views down to the Pacific Ocean and over downtown Honolulu. Today, Punchbowl is home to the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific that is located within the crater itself. The cemetery is administered by the federal government’s National Cemetery Administration and is dedicated to those men and women who served in the United States Armed Forces. Each year, thousands of visitors stop by the cemetery to pay their respects to the fallen warriors of the nation. Because of Hawaii’s strategic importance in many conflicts and the fact that Hawaii is the home base of many military operations, the cemetery has become almost as popular as the Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, DC and Virginia.
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