This a retroactive review for a visit I made here a few months back, but I don't think much has changed in 3 months in Victorian era cemetery I've always been drawn to big beautiFul cemeteries so when we came to London in October, Highgate was a must for me! It was about a 45min trip by subway and bus from London but easy and worth it. Beautiful cemetery! Now keep in mind, we only went to half of it, the West I believe, and I do have to say I'm REALLY bummed we didn't get to go to the other side where the pictures seem to show EXTRA impressive gravesites and mossileums... you could only visit that side if on a tour and unfortunately our timetable did not allow that. Still, it was beautiful and peaceful and very interesting! read more

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Came here for one reason and one reason alone. The Karl Marx tomb. I don't really have much to say here about economic ideologies or the man himself, but I will say this, he has a mighty grave. I'm a big statue fan, and this is honestly one of the most well made statues I have ever seen. It's a thing of beauty to behold. As for the cometary itself, it's an old one and has many tombstones that have been around for over a hundred years. It can be creepy, if you get creeped out easily. Still, I enjoyed it, and really enjoyed the the Karl Marx tomb. read more

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Richard was our tour guide and he was absolutely amazing. So kind, genuinely knowledgeable, funny, and made the experience more than worthwhile. I learned more than I could've imagined in this tour thanks to Richard. I recommend it to anyone considering visiting, and I hope you get to meet Richard. read more

While you can visit the East section on your own (£4 per person), you are not allowed on the West side unless you are with a tour guide. We arrived, bought our tickets (£12 per person) and, while waiting for the tour to start, crossed the street and entered the East cemetery, the entrance fee having been included in the price of the tour of the West section. After a short walk, we reached the imposing grave site of the famous philosopher Karl Marx where he and his wife, daughter, and grandson have all been laid to rest. Under the huge bronze head of the philosopher which sits atop the memorial, you can read his words: "Workers of all lands, unite!". Taking a narrow path just 25 meters across from Marx' grave, we found George Eliot's resting place. There are two names carved on the granite obelisk, because George Eliot was obviously her nom de plume. Born as Mary Ann Evans, she married John Cross, so she was buried as Mary Ann Cross. Ironic, considering that the true love of her life was George H. Lewes, a man she could not legally marry, but with whom she spent several years with as his de facto wife. One of our first stops on the West side was the Rossetti family grave. Dante Gabriele Rossetti chose not to be buried here, but his parents, brother, sister, and his wife, Lizzie Siddal, are. If you think the grave is a bit crowded, things got even more macabre when we heard the story of Lizzie's exhumation in order to retrieve a book of his poems that Rossetti buried with her, having decided after seven years that he wanted to publish the poems after all ... Creepy! At the end of the main pathway, we reached the Egyptian Avenue, a gateway in Egyptian style with obelisks on each side. Interest in ancient Egypt was very strong in 1839 when the cemetery was founded and the architecture is very impressive from outside, but rather dismal once you are enter with very little light while surrounded by tombs with heavy metal doors. At the end of the Avenue, we found ourselves in the Circle of Lebanon, a circle of tombs that were built around a massive, old cedar which predates the cemetery. The impressive tree is still there and is a key feature of the surrounding landscape. No filming is allowed in the West section, but back in the 1970s it was the setting for several horror movies in an attempt to gain much-needed income for cemetery maintenance. During the shooting of one of the vampire movies, someone saw an actor and thought that he was a real vampire, and soon spread the rumor that such a creature lived among the graves at Highgate. Grace took us inside the gated and locked brick-vaulted gallery which is lit only by oculi set in the original terrace, so on a gray day like the day we were there, it was dark and rather spooky. The walls are lined with recesses, all large enough for a single coffin. Many of the coffin's original decorative wooden exteriors have deteriorated over the years, exposing the interior lead coffin which encases another wooden coffin and holds the body. Grace told us that all coffins interred in brick lined vaults such as these had to be triple lined in this manner in order to eliminate the noxious fumes of decay. The tour lasted a little more than one hour and we enjoyed every minute of it, although the day of our tour was a bit gray and chilly. Grace did an excellent job in illustrating the history and features of a unique and interesting place to visit while in London. Highgate Cemetery is a place of meditation and peace, but also an example of the finest funerary architecture in the UK, where you can feel a connection with a past that is never truly dead. As good as the tour was, at £12 ($15.25) each ($30.50 for two) I have to say it was not a great value. For about the same price, you can get into Musee d'Orsay in Paris, one of the best museums in the world ... no comparison folks. They do not even offer a discount for seniors, teachers, or military veterans, which I found a bit sad. I think an entry fee in the £6 to £8 range would be more fitting for a cemetery tour, even as nice as Highgate may very well be. CombatCritic Gives Highgate Cemetery 7 Bombs Out Of 10 ... More Bombs Are Better! read more

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My wife and I came here on our last day of our holiday and walked the east side since we missed the last tour but were overwhelmed with the beauty of the place. We walked at least 3 miles up and down the length of the cemetery, reading stones and taking over a hundred and ninety pictures. It wasn't until we returned home and a week later had the chance to peruse them that we found one with very prominent apparitions. I added those pictures and in no way mean disrespect, and will remove them if requested by the cemetery staff but I am very curious as to what stones are in this area where the apparitions are standing. I took these photos as a burst of 7 photos taken in rapid succession and they only appeared in one photo but they are very clear. If you come here for an experience you will not be disappointed. read more

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Highgate Cemetery is on the "Magnificent Seven", i.e. one of seven large cemeteries around London planned and built in the mid 19th century. Highgate opened in 1839, a number of notable artists, writers, philosophers & politicians are buried here. There are 53,000 graves. The cemetery is divided into two areas: Éast and West. Both can be visited together, or separately - but the West Cemetery is only accessible by guided tour; the entry price is higher, but already includes the ticket for the East Cemetery. East Cemetery (UKP 4,- entry/adult), where Karl Marx is buried, can be visited without a guide. At the entrance you'll be given a map that points you towards the "notable" graves. The fee is modest, as you can spend 2-3 hours walking among the graves or simply strolling through the park-like shrubbery. Karl Marx is the "star", so gets the "Grade A Corpse Treatment", monument and an isolated spot included. Marx was originally put in a much more modest grave a couple of minutes away. Other important people include writer Douglas Adams (The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy), George Eliot, Alan Sillitoe, and Anthony Shaffer (Sleuth), actor Sir Ralph Richardson, biologist Herbert Spencer, or punk impresario Malcolm McLaren. But is is equally rewarding to just go "tombstone spotting" - find attractive headstones and mausoleums whether the people laid there were famous or not. And there are many, although Highgate may not be as opulent and elegant as some cemeteries in France e.g. are. Or walk through the grounds quietly and just absorb the melancholic atmosphere as a means of relaxing from the constant noise and pushiness of central London. To get to Highgate by public transportation, the easiest way is to take the Underground to "Archway" station and then walk for about 15 minutes up the hill and through the scenic, adjacent Waterlow Park (0.7 miles). read more

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What started out as a Saturday walking challenge with my friend turned out to be one of the best tours I've ever done. £12 for each ticket was albeit a little steep but to be honest you simply couldn't have wished for a better guide. And judging by the sheer number of weekend tours ruining every 90 mins with max of 20 per tour I can see they're doing quite well. Anyway without the guide you won't learn about the rich history surrounding the site. The West side architecture was extraordinary and its a shame that the tour only permits you to see around 20% of that side of the cemetery (they explained that test is either to dangerous or simply lacks adequate volunteer coverage). In any case the 70-90mins was time very well spent. Walking among all that history dating back to the early-mid 19th century was like being a time traveler. I can only say the folks of those times had amazing taste and way too much money to afford such opulent head stones and tombs. Walking on the east side wasn't half as interesting but still part of the whole experience. Shame to see the Karl Max gravesite had been vandalised with graffiti, such a mark of disrespect. Oh and if you're hoping to see where George Michael was buried you probably won't as the guides are instructed to keep it private. All I can say is he's buried with his mother under her name if that helps at all. After all that I would seriously consider becoming a volunteer myself. Hope you enjoy your time there. read more

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If there wasn't an entrance fee, then I would be forced to believe that this was an abandoned cemetery. With graves subsiding, if not completely destroyed due to old age. Graves hidden within the underground or covered by ivy even though they are right next to the main paths. There is evidence that they are trying to fight back the ivy & such. But it will take many more men to even begin to turn the tide. The cemetery is well worth the slog up the hill from Archway. To see the final testing places of Marx in all his champagne socialist glory. Honestly his tomb is massive whilst the grave next to his is unmarked. You can also pay respects to Douglas Adams & Jeremy Beadle. The unmarked mass graves of the nuns is what got to me. They devoted their lives to Christianity and remain unknown. A combined tour of both the east and west cemeteries is by far the better deal, just make sure to book weeks in advance. We got there an hour before closing, but had enough time. The lovely person who was in charge of the cemetery at the time told us to take our time. We were in no rush to leave. Kudos to you kind man. read more

Highgate Cemetery - Funeral Services & Cemeteries Near Me - London, XGL

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Highgate Cemetery has been on my London To Do list for a long time. And I finally booked a tour. I would recommend booking about 2-3 weeks in advance if you are planing to go on a weekday. And it is definitely worth it as I believe the West Cemetery is the most beautiful of the two. People asked me if it was spooking. No it wasn't. It was very peaceful. The volunteers are a wealth of knowledge and have a passion for the upkeep and maintaining this historical sight. read more

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Truly beautiful. We forked over the £12 to take the guided tour of the West cemetery (admission to the East is included, or £4 on its own) and as it's a cemetery run by a charity organization depending entirely on tours and donations, considered it money well spent. The tour was informative, although I do wish it had been longer (it allowed us about an hour) and had allowed us to see more of the gorgeous West cemetery. There is much to admire and study among the old graves and tangling vines and I could have easily spent hours happily wandering the twisting paths. The East cemetery is a bit more open, with wider pathways and more recent graves, less overgrown and thus slightly less atmospheric, although still lovely. The whole cemetery has a very peaceful air and is very picturesque; I can certainly see the appeal in being buried here. Highly recommended for a visit and a wander, and definitely do take the guided tour - and book in advance! read more

One of the gems of North London (along with Camden Market & Hampstead Heath). The burial ground of Karl Marx (amongst others). A wild and woody area of winding pathways and overgrown shrubbery, oh and plenty of gothic and macabre architecture. On our last trip here we came across wild foxes, squirrels and cats. A rare delight in such a vast city. Well worth a visit! read more

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After living in London for nearly a decade I finally managed to organise myself to go to Highgate cemetery and check it out. I was definitely rewarded for my efforts! You can pay around £4 to wander round the east cemetery or pay £12 for a tour round the west cemetery and entrance to the east one as well. The west cemetery is only accessible by going on a tour. I would certainly recommend paying slightly more to see both cemeteries as the west cemetery tour was really interesting and gave you a lot of history about the place and it's residents. The cemetery is now a charity and the tour guides are all volunteers. The guide we had was excellent and was more than happy to answer all my questions. Did you know it costs £20k+ to be buried in Highgate cemetery!! It seems strange to be going to a cemetery out of choice but it was a great day out. read more

Highgate Cemetery - Better a spectacular failure, than a benign success. - Funeral Services & Cemeteries Near Me - London, XGL

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I like visiting decrepit cemeteries, so when I read about the Highgate I put it high on my London must do list. I read that it was the inspiration for Bram Stoker's Dracula and it's not hard to see why. The cemetery is a random mix of old and new, with many of the older tombstones uprooted and overgrown with ivy and twisted tree limbs. If you're lucky you'll see one of the resident foxes so keep a lookout. It was definitely among the more unique burial sites I have visited, topping the New Orleans cemeteries. Cost (as of Feb 2013): £3 entrance fee for the E side, £7 for the W side tour (mandatory tour guide required) Helpful Hints: - The trails get muddy so plan your footwear accordingly. - Extras with the W side tour include history, mausoleum, visit and a glimpse into one of the vaults. If you do the tour note that there will be a lot of standing, so dress warmly if it's chilly. - 15 min walk from the Archway Underground station - Our guide mentioned bat watching night tours (they live in the vaults), though I'm not sure who organizes them. read more

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Early on Sunday morning, I headed to Highgate Cemetery, a landmark I've heard a read a lot about. Highgate Cemetery is a large, still operating cemetery in North London. It opened in 1839 as a prestigious, private cemetery, run for profit. In the 1970s, the operation was no longer profitable and left to decay and vandalism. A charity foundation was formed to conserve and repair this beautiful cemetery, which they have been working on since 1980. The Friends of Highgate Cemetery are operating without help from the local council and rely on the entry and tour fees to support their organisation. The east cemetery costs a measly £4 and you can freely walk around and linger. There is a free map available, which shows the loca of the most remarkable grave sights. The large trees and hedges form a sort of protective wall around most of the cemetery, shielding it from the noise and bustle of the busy streets. It's quite a tranquil place to wander. The mixture of old and new, simple and extravagant, sombre and celebratory is quite something. It's a wonderful place for a walk. The early autumn atmosphere and cool, refreshing breeze marked the perfect weather for this outing. Though the cemetery looked a bit unkept with all the leaves scattered around, I personally really enjoy that look though. From the east cemetery we walked back to the west cemetery to participate in a tour. This part is only accessible on a walking tour, you can't just wander the paths yourself here. A tour costs £12 and also gets you free entry into the east cemetery, so it's a pretty good deal. The first thing to catch my eye was a large, bright orange cobstruct, upon inquiring I was made aware that this is part of the Good Grief project by the architecture foundation. A very interesting sounding event series, which I unfortunately only found out about after it ended. The west part of Highgate Cemetery is much larger than the east, but still very much in use. They average two burials a week and are getting close to being at capacity. Many of the paths have graves several rows back, going up into the tree line, tilting with the roots and slipping ground. Our guide was enthusiastic, if a bit wooden. All tours are conducted by volunteers who love the cemetery. She had quite a few interesting stories to tell and was eagerly answering all questions we posed. The tour lasted almost an hour and a half and was very pleasant and well done. After leaving the cemetery we encountered Fluffy, apparently a resident cat in the area, snoozing right behind a poster with her photo on it. It was without a doubt a very interesting and beautiful visit, the Highgate Cemetery is a great destination to visit and is surrounded by beautiful Highgate, which is beautiful all on its own and not too far from Hamstead Heath. read more

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Seriously, do yourself a favor and make it a priority to get the guided tour at Highgate! This is by far the most breath taking cemetery I have ever been to!!! There's soooo much history and fantastic stories coming from this amazing piece of heaven. I'm coming back for another tour next summer because I LOVED it so much. read more

Highgate Cemetery - Funeral Services & Cemeteries Near Me - London, XGL

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The most famous and biggest of the Magnificent Seven. It is quite a hike from Archway station (take the bus, even for 2 stops, the road is really sloped). The cemetery has 2 parts: one you can visit on your own, the other accessible only with guided tour. From memory each entrance is £3 but I remember you could access the other side with your guided tour ticket. There is no bookings so you will have to queue at the gate to get in but it's really worth it. I recommend to get lost in the free access part; take the small alleyways and wander, you might even spot a sleeping fox. After the visit, walk to Highgate village and stop at the Holly Bush for a well deserved meal and pint. read more

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I really enjoyed this cemetery. I went to learn about the Highgate Vampire but came back with much more knowledge about a lot of thing! I even learned that the newest fantastic beasts movie was filmed here. I really recommend doing the West cemetery tour. read more

Highgate Cemetery - Pop artist's grave from East cemetery - Funeral Services & Cemeteries Near Me - London, XGL

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A wonderful place to visit. A cool place on a hot summer day, & a spectacular place in the snow. There is so much to see. The East & West sides hold a very different feel to each other & so you will need at least a day each to appreciate both. In the West you have the graves of Thomas Faraday, the Rosetti family inc Elizabeth Siddal (wife of Rosetti & model for his Ophelia) or Radlcliffe Hall the writer of The Well of Lonliness, & a gay icon. In the East Wing Karl Marx, George Eliot,& now it seems, a favourite burial place for artists & analysts. One such is Patrick Caulfield, old mate & artist,whose grave says quite simply : DEAD There are often talks here in the chapel (with mulled wine in winter) ***Now take a look at my Guide to Graves read more

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The brochure calls it "romantic decay" and I can't think of any better words to describe it. Come close to sunset and you'll be treated to an alluring glow of the evening light against the tombstones. Afterwards head over to Hampstead Heath a short walk away to get a skyline view of London. Highgate is one of the "Magnificent Seven" cemeteries of London. I've only been to three, and this is the only one so far that charges an entrance fee but it's worth the £4. read more

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Beautiful and charming cemetery. Visited in autumn, found crab apples on the ground with squirrel bites. Volunteer told us stories of how he knew the dudes in Oasis, Iron Maiden, George Michael (who is buried here but you cannot visit his private grave), 1/2 of the Beatles, Elton John, and I'm sure he mentioned others after I zoned out. Important things to know: There's a slight incline to/from the cemetery on the main road and in the cemetery. To visit the west side of the cemetery, you need to book a tour in advance. The east side of the cemetery is free for you to roam, but not free to enter. Tours for the east side is optional. Check the website because all up-to-date info is noted there. read more

Highgate cemetery is seriously beautiful. If you find it odd/grim to visit a cemetery for fun, think again. Especially on a nice day with nice weather, a walk through the cemetery is absolutely lovely, relaxing, and architecturally interesting. I haven't done the guided tour of the West cemetery yet (which is otherwise inaccessible), but I love the East cemetery (which you can get into and freely browse for £4 - btw, beware, your pets can't come with you, unless they are assistance dogs). The 19th century style of most of the graves and the great range of details and sculptures on many of them is seriously captivating, especially in the way that it exists in symbiosis with the cemetery's wild nature, which is at some points almost taking over. Some trees seem to be literally growing out of the individual graves - it gives one a peaceful impression of the resting people reaching through the branches to the sky. Many graves have clearly felt the weight of time, and are slightly tipped over, or leaning together - but not in a way that would make the cemetery look derelict; instead, it just looks like it's evolving with the seasons just like the nature around it. I have seen quite a few relatively recent graves in the cemetery too, and it's nice that they managed to fit them in in a very non-obtrusive way with the rest of the historical surroundings. There are many graves of famous and notable people in this cemetery - at the entrance, you get a huge list of their names. So if you are a history buff, dig deeper -it's not just a place to see Karl Marx, Douglas Adams, or George Eliot (although their graves seem to be most sought out - Karl's, as his huge tribute is quite the centerpiece, and much more inconspicuous Adams', where you can add on to his tribute collection and leave a pen for him). The cemetery grounds are huge - you can browse it for well over an hour. This is a fantastic venue for photography, or just a peaceful and meditative walk/day. I think the entrance fee is definitely worth it, and prevents the cemetery from being too overcrowded. Oh and once you leave, don't forget to explore your surroundings - Highgate area is beautiful and full of greenery and lovely architecture, and you can reach Hampstead Heath from it really easily. read more

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Yes, a trip to the cemetery CAN be a fun day out for you and the kids! Actually, more of an educational trip into the ''who's who' of headstones, this place can be magical if you come and visit at the right time of year. Listed as Grade II on the English Heritage Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in England, its Roman-inspired architecture rises up from the surrounding wooded area, and is a sight to behold. There's plentiful flora & fauna too. Amongst the famous who are laid to rest: Karl Marx, Douglas Adams and the late Alexander Litvinenko. read more

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Quiet and damp, this cemetery has an eerie essence about itself, and as you walk through, all you hear are your footsteps in the gravel and the slight trickle of dew drops plinking against the foliage. There are so many beautiful statues of angels and animals, along with tombs and grave markers, it's overwhelming to believe things like this truly exist. Definitely plan ahead and buy advanced tickets to get into the West Side, as it's under a lock and (greatly gated) key, because the most amazing artifacts are located here. The sleeping angel, Egyptian Avenue, the circle of Lebanon and the tree that overlooks it all, is unmissable. You also get to go into the vaults by flashlight, and even peer into the worn resting places of people from centuries ago. All funds go to maintaining the tours and operations so it all goes to a great cause. Definitely one of the more flashy cemeteries (many films have been shot inside) but worth exploring if you're hiking up to North London. Hampstead Heath is also directly to the east, and it makes a great day trip if you're aching to escape the city center. read more

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I've wanted to visit Highgate Cemetery for a long time but somewhere in my desire to visit I didn't research enough to realise you had to pay to get in! As someone on a serious budget that was a bit of a blow but I forked out anyway as I really wanted to see that grandeur that is Highgate Cemetery. We considered at first going just to the East Cemetery which is only 4 pounds per person and certainly has plenty to see including Karl Marx's grave but it isn't as impressive as the other side, the 'West Cemetery'. You can only access the West Cemetery via guided tour which currently is 12 pounds per person. The tour lasts about an hour and the guides are very informative, telling you about some of the people buried in the graves and the stories behind their tomb stones. Highgate Cemetery was once a wide open space with very little 'nature'. In fact Beatrix Potter's fiance is buried there and she once said "I watered his grave with my tears and yet nothing grew. Highgate is barren to nature". Of course that's not the case now. It was a private cemetery originally (you had to pay a lot to be buried there) and eventually it was abandoned causing tombstones to crumble and nature to come in and take over. To be honest I think it looks better with the overgrowth, very mysterious and creepy yet also beautiful. It's a photographer's dream too so make sure you take your camera. You don't really get opportunities to take pictures/pose for pictures so if you want to do that you'd have to lag behind the group slightly... It's a beautiful area too so it's well worth checking out. The guide will remind you many times how valuable the money of your ticket prices are as it goes toward restoration within the cemetery which I think is really great. Everyone who works there is a volunteer too, as far as I could see. The entry ticket for the tour also gives you entry to the East Cemetery so it's a reasonable deal. I'd really recommend a few hours at Highgate, it's worth checking it out. In summer it's beautiful and green but I imagine in the winter when it's been snowing it would look spectacular! read more

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Nothing like spending a day in a cemetery to make you feel glad to be alive, eh? But not with Highgate Cemetery, because it is so alive. It breathes, it lives and it thumbs its nose at the death that it envelops. Today my friend and I braved the yummy mummies of Highgate to visit this famous cemetery. The east side is eternally home to famous people including Karl Marx and Douglas Adams. But we dutifully paid the £7 to visit the west side of the cemetery. On a guided tour by one of the Friends of Highgate Cemetery, we heard all the history of the place, the reasons behind why graves were adorned a certain way, visited Egyptian Avenue and saw some fairly impressive crypts. The tour is excellent because you feel the community of the place, why people feel strongly enough to volunteer their time to giving tours and keeping the place open. To me, Highgate Cemetery is wild and beautiful with trees and greenery refusing to give way to looking civilised and a proper place to be laid to rest. Nature refuses to be curtailed here and that is why it transcends simply being a cemetery. read more

I see dead people. No really, come here and you will. Grave upon grave of Doris', Maudes, Williams, Alberts and more. It's £3 to get in and you pay about a quid for a little 4 page guide. It's good, it's not great. I was a little excited by the fact that Karl Marx grave is here as well as some other interesting famous dead people but to be honest, considering the charge for you to come in, it's not well marked or well kept. I might be a little spoilt by Abney Cemetery in Stoke Newington, which although smaller and less famous, is superior in beauty and great to walk around. I understand that this place is a working cemetery so I did feel a bit like I was invading someone's privacy but it was an interesting day out. If you haven't been, I would suggest a visit on a sunny day. Just don't take your bike. Those hills almost killed me! read more

Galloping Graveyards Tintin, its the curse of the Magnificent Seven! The Magnificent Seven Graveyards that is ,,,, MUAHAHAHAHA. Enter ye, enter ye all who want me stop speaking in this silly way although there is, according to Wikipedia the "Highgate Vampire" that dwells there. Having said that with the recent spate of Twilight type movies any moody pale person qualifies as a vampire...anyway I digress. This is, one of London's (and europe's) historic graveyards and the now home to Karl Marx and Douglas Adams. It is is a fair old trek from either of the two nearest underground stations but completely worth it to see how the great and the good of victorian (and present) live...in death! Completely beautiful with very enthusiastic guides, we only saw the East Cemetery for £7 (including tour) but the other side is waiting. Top Tip 1) Look online for tour times as they vary Top Tip 2) Highgate has amazing pubs, Waterlow Park and The Heath so you can make a great day of it. Top Tip 3) Be lazy get the bus up the hill read more

Graveyards are the new must-see tourist attractions. Think Pere Lachaise in Paris; The Old Jewish Cemetery in Prague; Arlington National Cemetery in the USA; St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City... It goes on and on, but Highgate is one of the best you will see, which is why I had no qualms taking a first date for a walk in this fine cemetery. I defy anyone who says romance is dead. Registered with The English Heritage, the cemetery is filled gothic tombs and architecture that are visually stunning and yet somehow you get charmed by the spooky feeling that overwhelms you as you walk around. It is a bit weird nosing around a graveyard, but surprisingly fascinating. It is well worth the £3 entry, considering it is like nothing else and when you take into account that other cemeteries in Europe charge 10 euros. read more

Ironically, the high point of my recent trip to London was a visit to Highgate Cemetery. We walked through the side you can walk through unaccompanied because we had been told that the other side was always booked. When we had had our fill of the peaceful chaos of the cemetery, we decided to try our luck across the way, and we were lucky enough to get a tour. Peter, our guide, had the appropriate blend of reverence and humor as he showed us around, and he impressed us with his knowledge and his obvious affection for the place. The cemetery itself is fascinating and definitely worth a visit. read more

I trekked out here one Saturday with a couple of friends to see gravestones. And boy are there a lot of them! Highgate Cemetery is split into two sides: east and west. The west cemetery is older and requires a guide, and the east cemetery is a cemetery you can just wander through. The guided west cemetery tour plus admission to the east cemetery was £12 when we went; the east cemetery alone was £4. We did the tour. So it's kind of cool. It's a bit of history of London that you may not see. It's from when cemeteries became businesses and people pretentiously bought big plots and gravestones so people could see them after they die. Of course you do see them, but do we really know who they are? Not really. There are a lot of people buried in the cemetery with a few famous people. Or at least renowned. Or at least people that used to be famous that the tour guides point out to you. It's also a bit creepy. The cemetery was shut down in the 1960s for lack of funds so everything became overgrown with greenery. It's hard to believe it just exists inside London as it seems like a place that should be out in the middle of nowhere. There are some elaborate structures here, and people apparently paid quite a bit of money to try to be famous in death. It's just weird. The east cemetery is home to both the grave of Karl Marx and Douglas Adams. The Karl Marx grave is massive. It's a bit pretentiously massive to be honest, but a lot of communists really wanted to be buried near there, so it's kind of interesting to see the number of gravestones near Karl Marx's grave that belong to them. Douglas Adams' grave is a lot less pretentious. Just a gravestone. And a bucket of pens. People apparently pilgrimage here to leave him a pen in his afterlife. When Nava was dropping a pen off in the bucket, I inappropriately cracked the joke that it was "The Douglas Adams 'give a pen, take a pen' scheme". Hilarity ensued. It's probably inappropriate to laugh like that in a cemetery, but I like to think if Douglas Adams could have heard us, he would have found it funny as well. Both cemeteries are fully packed with gravestones. They're not set up in a neat pattern (I mean it is London after all, neat patterns are strictly forbidden). Some of them are so far back and packed in that the people who work there don't even know who are buried because it's dangerous to try to get back there and see. That's how many people are buried here. It's an interesting place to visit. Just make sure when you go the Northern line is open. Otherwise getting here may be a bit of a nightmare. If you like to see statues that look like they could be Weeping Angels and massive, pretentious gravestones and crypts, this is the place for you. Or if you have a morbid fascination with death, go and see it. read more

This is a historical cemetery, but it's also a still-functional cemetery, with new inhabitants mixed in with the old. This makes it even more fascinating, as some of the more modern additions are extremely interesting (Malcolm McClaren and Patrick Caulfield were more recent highlights). Aside from Marx's monument, most of the stones are unremarkable when you consider how important some of the people are. You can hardly read George Eliot's stone. Another reviewer complained that it isn't well kept. I think it's as well kept as it can be, considering. The ground has pushed up in a lot of places, stones have been displaced, it all is a bit overgrown and on top of each other. But this is the magic of old cemeteries. It's hundreds of years of civilization lying on top of each other. Yes, you have to pay a fee to enter, but the cemetery does not receive funding from any public organizations. There was no trash lying around and the grounds are cared for respectfully. I'd gladly pay the £4, again. Take your time and walk through. We weren't going down every side path at all and it still took us an hour to wander through the east cemetery. I'd like to come back when it's a little warmer and do the tour of the west cemetery. This is a gem of a Saturday or Sunday afternoon thing to do and I'd wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone who calls North London home. read more

For a walk in this cemetery you pay 4 pounds which is slightly overpriced because of the condition of the cemetery. Most paths are excellent but the graves could do with some love. Some are completely overrun by nature, which arguably adds to the authenticity of the cemetery but in my opinion contrasts too deeply with the more recent graves. If you are willing to pay the price, i do promise that you will have a lovely, bittersweet walk, due to the combination of nice and elaborate graves with beautiful inscriptions and the general gloom of death that can be found on any cemetery. read more

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This place is so beautiful! It was either visiting this or the British Museum. Our friends who have been to England think that we were crazy for choosing Highgate Cemetery, but it's a beautiful place! The thing that sucks is that the Tube (subway) broke down in the midst of us going there, so we were trying to find another way. We walked and walked and walked, looked for taxis, but there was crazy traffic, so we finally looked at the bus system while trying to get away from the traffic, and by that time it was getting late. We got there too late to take the guided tour through the cemetery, which reallllly sucks! But we went around the other part of the cemetery. It was still beautiful... I just really wish we had the guided tour! THAT would have been awesome! If you go to London, take a trip to this place... It's peaceful, serene, and beautiful! It also has a gorgeous park with a lake next to it! Definitely recommend coming here! read more

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After months of wanting to visit here - considering it IS only a short walk from where I live - I finally went today. Granted, that wasn't the plan, but when you're wandering around and end up at cemetery gates, my vote is always for going in. I went into the east side (£4), which is where you can walk without a guided tour. It's also where Karl Marx, Douglas Adams, and George Eliot are buried. I spent about an hour wandering around the rows; it's a great mix of old and new headstones, and some beautiful and sad stories are told. I'll probably go back, to be honest, as there's so much to see. Be warned though: it does get very muddy on some of the side paths, so dress accordingly! read more

I adore historic cemeteries. Especially growing up in the United States, we just DON'T have ANYTHING as old as the English. I was writing a paper for a graduate seminar on uses of cemeteries in England as a living, useful, active public space. For part of the project, I toured as many of the seven large, modern cemeteries (known as the "Magnificent Seven") around the outside of London as I could in a two week period. I am also a huge fan of Marx, who is buried at Highgate, and love a good vampire story. So the Highgate had much allure for me. I can not even describe the beauty of the place. Gorgeous, over grown graves, broken marble crypts. I went with my two cousins; one was completely freaked out by the silence and the peace of the Highgate- the other was smitten with the birds and greenery. I took many pictures of the statues, some of which turned out so incredible that they looked professional. There have been several books written about a "vampire" that supposedly lived and was/ was not killed here. I totally could see it. If you like to wander around such spots, this place is a must. read more

A great if somewhat unusual choice for a good weather day. I recommend the £12 tour for access to both sides of the cemetery as the fee goes towards the upkeep of the place and the volunteers who act as tour guides are great for interesting stories. Had thought it might be a bit weird to look around but was so pleasantly surprised to find it was very interesting and felt very different to other parts of London. read more

Highgate Cemetery - Tour - Funeral Services & Cemeteries Near Me - London, XGL

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Dreamy baroque cemetery that evokes the works of Dickens and Mervyn Peake. It's the home of the original vampire.

Really cool cemetary with so many headstones. Of course it's famous for the burial of Karl Marx (that statue is awesome!). I believe for a student the Eastern area is £2, and £3 for adults. The woman who took our money was really friendly and helpful. She showed us a small map that I believe you generally have to pay for to show us the best way around the cemetary to hit all the good bits :) One of those places I'd love to be at nighttime (I love creepy stuff ;D), because the sheer amount that's there plus how overgrown everything is. If you like cemeteries and history, don't worry :P You'll love this place. read more

So, I'm going to go against the grain and say that I'm not convinced. This is certainly a peaceful way to spend an hour or so and pay respects to people such as Karl Marx and Douglas Adams. But I'm not convinced it warrants the £4 entrance. While I'm sure that cemeteries are expensive to maintain (a sign at the entrance suggests£1000 per day), this one is not well maintained compared with those I have visited elsewhere. I regret not taking the £12 tour of the west cemetery which includes entrance to the east, but the price of admission seemed steep. Although this does include a guided tour, so I suspect that it is a better deal. The staff seemed friendly(ish) but had a haughty air, as though they were doing you a favour. I'll probably go back for the tour so will update this then. read more

I've been in London for 21 years, but only found out exactly where Highgate Cemetery was a few months ago, and it took a while before I took the plunge to visit on a cold, wintry day. It's impressive. Marx's gravestone is of course big, but Douglas Adams had a cup in front of his headstone with a cluster of pens, and an architect had a simple headstone with DEAD spelt out in steps. That's the way to go, with humour. read more