Greyfriars Kirkyard is the graveyard surrounding Greyfriars Kirk in Edinburgh, Scotland. It is located at the southern edge of the Old Town, adjacent to George Heriot's School. Burials have been taking place since the late 16th century, and a number of notable Edinburgh residents are interred at Greyfriars. The Kirkyard is operated by City of Edinburgh Council in liaison with a charitable trust, which is linked to but separate from the church. The Kirkyard and its monuments are protected as a category A listed building.
Greyfriars takes its name from the Franciscan friary on the site (the friars of which wear grey habits), which was dissolved in 1560. The churchyard was founded in August 1562 after Royal sanction was granted to replace the churchyard at St Giles' Cathedral in Edinburgh. The latter burial ground was not used after around 1600.
Fraser Paterson | Mar 12, 2018
A phenomenal place to appreciate and learn the different means of remembering those at rest in Greyfriars. The graveyard contains tens of thousands of people, from criminals without headstones to some of Scotland's wealthiest people. The rich & influential have the most elaborate headstones and mausoleums (grave houses).
J. Frances | Mar 29, 2018
Love coming here! Especially when I bring my kids (all college age) and we find the gravestones from the Harry Potter books! Plus all the other history... it’s amazing!
Renard Voyageur | Apr 29, 2018
This little cemetery has such a nice atmosphere... Obviously a good spot for the potterheads, but it's beautiful and you can find the grave of Bobby the dog, who's got quite the story, too.
Robert P | Mar 25, 2018
Another view on the old town. And a interesting place to visit. Day and night. You can have a look after names that inspired the Harry Potter world.
Robin Naumann | Jan 29, 2018
Beautiful quiet spot in the heart of the city... Stunning views of the old town from the graveyard. Amazing venue in the kirk itself. Available for hire but need to book months (if not years) in advance to secure your date!
Dewi Sari | May 18, 2018
Beautiful and spooky cemetery in Edinburgh. My walking tour guide Erik told me that many strange things happened in this cemetery especially in the night. However during the day it seems pretty nice place to visit. It has a beautiful garden, many trees and a church.
John Truppa | May 9, 2018
Admittedly this place wasn't even on my radar as a place to visit but my friend took me here explaining the history surrounding this place. It's a very interesting on at that, I would highly recommend exploring it and seeing what it has to offer.
Kat Orosco | May 20, 2018
The amount of history and beauty in the small area is amazing. So very worth taking a couple hours to wander through.
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