Photo by Panyd at en.Wikipedia
One of my favorite places to visit in London is Highgate Cemetery. Highgate is in the north part of London and a little out of the way, but worth the visit if you've already seen the major attractions. I absolutely loved the quiet, peaceful atmosphere in the midst of a bustling city. It is set on 37 acres and has 53,000 graves. The West side of the cemetery has a guided tour while the East side you can wander on your own. It was established in 1839 to help ease the overcrowding of the inner city cemeteries. It sits up on a hill slightly down from the hill of Highgate itself next to a park. Highgate is packed with trees and vegetation that is allowed to grow unfettered giving it an extremely lush feel. The grounds feel rustic as they are a haven for small animals and birds. The gravestones vary from the simple to the highly dramatic such as the carved lady sleeping on the tomb of an unknown occupant.
Many noteworthy people have been buried at Highgate, the most famous is Karl Marx. While Charles Dickens is buried in Westminster Abbey, His younger brother, Alfred, wife and parents are buried here. The Poet Christina Rossetti is buried here along with the co-founder of the Pre-Raphelite Brotherhood, William Michael Rossetti. Author and Nobel Prize winner wrote about Highgate Cemetery in his Forsythe Saga novels as the final resting place of the Forsythe's. He was cremated and had his ashes scattered at Highgate. It has been featured in a number fictional works including Audery Niffenegger's book Her Fearful Symmetry and Tracy Chevalier's novel Falling Angels which are both set in and around Highgate. Highgate Cemetery is the sixth level of the Nightmare Creatures Game.
Highgate Cemetery is even hosting events such as a musical night featuring harp and viola music with the Lilium Duo, and a talk about the Wyon family who designed and produced medals, coins and seals in nineteenth-century Britain.
Highgate Cemetry's website can be found at: http://highgatecemetery.org/
