Take an afternoon stroll to the most haunted cemetery in the world, the Greyfriars Kirkyard. Spot a legendary dog, some noble men who lived during their time, and look for the tombs where JK Rowling got inspiration for naming some of her infamous characters, particularly that of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named.
Perched on a hill overlooking the new town, it’s hard to fathom how much stuff lies on the other side of the walls of Greyfriars: a school, a castle, an array of cafes and restaurants filling street after street. Beneath all the possibility, the mess of it all, is what makes this eerily place adorable.
Before you leave, make sure to rub the nose of the Scottish version of Hachiko — Bobby (statue), the dog who would never leave his master even after death, for good luck.
Wow! This blog is so interesting because I love spooky tales and places! I have never visited there and even didn’t do any research before reading your blog. You have nicely described the place and the history of the Graveyard. I came to know a few interesting facts like – It is the place which is famous for its Spot, a legendary dog and famous novelist where J K Rowling got inspiration. I would love to be there very soon and shoot video.
Thank you for the kind words, Shreya 🙂
I love Edinburgh and Greyfriars Kirkyard in particular. The whole city has a magical atmosphere and this place is so serene and mystical. It’s really pretty and feels like you’ve stepped back in time. As a Potterhead, seeing the familiar names on the stones was so cool!
Yeah. I remember getting sore feet from all the walking just looking for the inspiration behind Lord Voldemort’s name. That tomb was hidden in the belly of the cemetery.
I’m a fan of the Harry Potter series and I had no idea that Rowling was inspired by this cemetery. Sounds interesting! This place is full of atmosphere. I would love to visit it.
You should definitely go! 🙂
I was in Edinburgh in 1994 and enjoyed the beautiful old town and I remember visiting a Scotch maker. That was fantastic. Graveyards and Harry Potter are two things that I am not really interested in.
Right?? It’s definitely one of my favorite cities in the world. It’s like being transported back in time.
I love Harry Potter and ever knew JK Rowling got her inspiration from here! A little spooky though I must say and probably not for me, but interesting regardless!
What an interesting place! I knew that J.K. Rowling took inspiration from her time in Portugal, but I never knew that some of the names were also inspired by this cemetery. I would love to visit Edinburgh, and I’d be sure to check out Greyfriars Kirkyard.