Set on a hill overlooking Grassmarket, this higgledy-piggledy Greyfriars Kirkyard has uneven tombstones set around the 400-year-old Greyfriars Kirk (church). A few of them are surrounded by mortsafes, iron cages that were erected in the early 1800s to prevent grave robbing.
During the 19th and 20th centuries, the cemetery was most famous for the story of Greyfriars Bobby, a faithful dog who spent 14 years guarding the grave of his departed owner, and you can still find his statue outside the entrance. However, recent years have seen greater interest in the cemetery’s Harry Potter links, as the gravestones provided JK Rowling with inspiration for many of the series' character names. Keep an eye out for Potters, McGonagalls, Moodies and even a Thomas Riddell.
