Fancypants X.

The difference between a cemetery & graveyard is that the location of the latter is associated with a church. The Necropolis, Greek for "city of the dead," is situated near Glasgow Cathedral & Glasgow Royal Infirmary, two other notable sites. This hauntingly beautiful, albeit morbid, landmark on a hill provides a panoramic (perhaps best) view of the city. The hike is well worth the effort to experience these historic sacred grounds where each tombstone & mausoleum is a piece of architectural art from Victorian times.

Susan S.

A very cool place to visit next to Glasgow Cathedral. We found the William Wallace Monument-the person that Brave Heart Mo is was based on. A must visit for Glasgow

Casey M.

I love wandering around a graveyard and crossing the bridge of sighs into the graveyard is one most certainly worth visiting, it's huge so you will need a few hours to explore some of the most beautiful and intricate memorials and here you will find the man who wrote wee Willie winkie, William Wallace monument, Jewish memorials and many many more. The Necropolis is on on an incline and there's winding paths and steps and the views are fabulous, especially when looking towards the cathedral. The only thing I would mention is there aren't any toilets, neither in the cathedral or the cemetery but there is a public toilet coating 20p on the car park near the cathedral but apart from that, If your in Glasgow for the day, make sure you visit this beautiful cemetery.

Laura G.

Glasgow's Victorian City of the Dead is next to the Glasgow Cathedral and was worth being placed on our list of things to see. The Necropolis has become a cultural landmark and is surprisingly peaceful. It is 37 acres of land with over fifty thousand burials and about 3500 tombs. It was established by the Merchants House of Glasgow in 1831 and opened in 1833. The first burial was Joseph Levi. A well known monument was erected in 1825 to John Knox that dominates the hill and is noteworthy. At the main entrance there are three modern memorials. ( for still born babies, Glaswegian recipients of the Victoria Cross and one to the Korean War) After passing them you go over a small bridge known as the "Bridge of Sighs." The cemetery is open daily from 7 am to 5 pm. You are in for a steep climb to get to the top where you will be rewarded with a magnificent view. The memorials are lovely and the cemetery is beautifully cared for.

Grahame G.

The Necropolis is the ancient heart of Glasgow, said to have once been called Dun Chattan, the site of a Druidic moon temple overlooking the bend of the sacred Molendinar burn. Here many of Glasgow's mystical ley-lines converge, invisible energy lines linking this spot with distant places like Tinto Hill to the south-east and Dumgoyne to the north-west, both of which you can see on a clear day. To the south of the hill sits the ancient Ladywell, once used by passing Roman soldiers on their way to the Antonine Wall, and one of the last public wells in Glasgow to remain in use. The Ladywell's location was once beside the main route into Glasgow from the east, but now it sits capped and forlorn in a dead-end bit of street, overshadowed by Tennent's brewery, Consecrated as a burial place by St. Ninian in the 4th century, this hill has been a place of the dead for hundreds of years. It is here that Glasgow's patron saint, Kentigern (also called St. Mungo), arrived in the early 6th century, allegedly following the trail of a cart pulled by two oxen carrying the body of the holy man Fergus. Here he buried Fergus, and on the opposite banks of the Molendinar, Kentigern set up his chapel. It wasn't until the early 19th century that the Glasgow Merchants House developed it into a proper City of the Dead, and it is said that the journey from the Cathedral across the Bridge of Sighs and up the hill to the top is deliberately intended to be a reflection of the Freemason's journey from darkness into light. There are certainly Masonic clues a-plenty for those with eyes to look. Many of the tombs were designed by outstanding Glasgow architects like Alexander 'Greek' Thomson, David Hamilton, and even Charles Rennie Mackintosh. It's well worth doing one of the regular walking tours organised by the Friends of Glasgow Necropolis to really appreciate the grandeur of the place. But whether you're a fan of Victorian Gothic or not, the Necropolis can still offer you some great views over the city to the south, and the architecture of the mausoleums and tombs can provide some wonderful photographs when the light is right. If you're really lucky, you might see some of the deer that are known to live here.

Monica O.

If in Glasgow, you need to go the Necropolis, yes it's a cemetery, but really you must go. The Necropolis is a pretty cool place, lots of history in there, do not speed through, and take your time to read some of the tombs, which I did, some even have the entire family together including the maids and servants. This is history for all us to see, and its free! And oddly its quite stunning too, does not give you an eerie feeling either. You will also see great views of Glasgow too! I could easily take a few hours to see everything, so if in the area, stop by and learn about its history and walk in the past.

Lisa E.

If you are visiting Glasgow I would say this is the number one thing to see, including St. Mungo's Cathedral. The views of Glasgow are spectacular and its a great place to go for a walk and meander. It is quite a lovely cemetery, and I'm one of those weirdos that can spend hours reading tombstones...I can actually lead you to my favorites, if you take the tour with me! "O for the touch of a vanished hand, and the sound of a voice that is still" about someones lost love, pulls at my heart strings every time I see it. After the long trek around, up, through and over there is one of the oldest pubs down the street (The Old School House), or for beer connoisseurs I recommend Drygate.

Austen M.

5 stars for a walk round a graveyard. You might wonder if I have lost my mind. The answer in general may well be yes, but this place is definitely worthy of a high rating and a bit of your time. I did a history degree at uni and I generally like "old stuff" and taking photos of it, so for me the Necropolis was a bit of a revelation. Last Sunday we went for a wander around it and I spent ages just reading all the different tombstones and trying to work out the story behind them. I took loads of pictures and was surprised/impressed by the sheer size and effort that had gone into making them. A visit to necropolis is an opportunity to take a break from the norm and think about people and events from the past. It's definitely one to do on a bright sunny day. For me it's well worth a visit whether your a tourist or a local. I definitely want to go back and do an organised to learn and learn more about the place.

Gavin M.

A tourist destination for the slightly macabre, a visit to the Necropolis is a memorable and haunting experience, full of striking monuments and with cracking views over the city. As dusk approaches it does begin to feel quite eerie, though I'm never sure if the uneasy feeling you get is a fear of the heroin addicts from the nearby East End, or from the possibility of running into a disembodied malevolent spirit, angry that his grave is a bit less splendid than that of John Knox. A slightly sad sidestory to the Necropolis is that the sheer scale and grandeur of the place highlights how in Victorian times Glasgow was one of the wealthiest and most important cities in the world, whilst nowadays, despite some very succesful regeneration, it is still a shadow of it's former self. Still, a visit to the Necropolis is as good a time as you can possibly have whilst being surrounded by 50,000 rotting corpses, and it's a must for any visitor to the city.

Paul C.

It's hard to believe Glasgow's majestic necropolis cemetery sits just a stone's throw away from the hustle and bustle of the city centre. Offering panoramic views of the city, the serene location is an absorbing place for a stroll, with the elaborate tombs of some of Glasgow most notable residents as impressive as any other Victorian architecture in the city and making it something of an outdoor museum. The most obvious is the intimidating column for John Knox, the second highest point in Glasgow, but the likes of Major Archibald Douglas Monteath and William Gavin did fairly well too with their opulent burial places. Not only is the place interesting in an architectural sense, but it also serves as a fascinating reminder of the fact Glasgow clearly had a few bob to spend on such luxuries in its day. Thankfully, after gaining a reputation as a haven for Tennent's Super-guzzling jaikies, the last few years have seen the Necropolis become a much safer place to wander around, something which is reflected by the increasing number of tourists who visit, particularly for the spectacular sunset views.

Jen L.

Visited April 2015: "Hidden behind a Cathedral" We originally thought this was the cemetery behind the Glasgow Cathedral until we located the entrance. There's a bridge over the motorway to the cemetery upon the hill. Different monuments, different eras, and amazing views of the city.

Michael B.

Feels a bit strange saying "I'm a fan" of a huge cemetery, but it made for a pretty unique afternoon's stroll before we headed over to Drygate nearby. Experiencing a weekend of hot, sunny weather, it certainly provided terrific views of the city once you'd meandered up one of the paths to the top of the hill, passing 3,500 headstones and tombs of varying scale and Victorian decoration. There's no grid layout like you'll find at most cemeteries - the paths weave around the site based on its topography. Clearly, the more money your family had, the higher up the hill you were buried and the more prominent your grave's location. If it had been grey, misty and approaching dusk, this'd make for a rather unsettling location for a walk - the only unsettling thing we saw when we visited were some people sunbathing in front of the gravestones. Have some common decency. Once atop the hill, you'll get a great view of the impressive Glasgow Cathedral and its green copper roof and the hospital beyond - a stark reminder of the short journey those unfortunate souls took from bed, to church, to grave...

Thomas M.

Superbly morbid and spectacular Glasgow attraction. If you're at all a necrophiliac (not in the literal sense, hopefully) and in fond of morbid places to visit, when in Glasgow this is the place to go. A veritable city of the dead, as the name implies, it is a huge area of gravestones, tablets, figures and mausoleums that stretches for a mile and towers over the cathedral area in Glasgow, anchored by St. Mungo's (Glasgow) Cathedral just below. Glasgow is not my favorite Scottish town, but this is my favorite place in Glasgow. Recommended!