The area of Greater London in England is the biggest metropolis in the whole of Europe covering an enormous area of over six hundred square miles. Throughout the city are numerous world class tourist attractions such as the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben, the London Eye and, of course, Buckingham Palace and other places associated with the British Royal Family. However, dig a little deeper and you will find a number of not so well known places well worth visiting.
If you enjoy your city tours which include the not so well known places of interest then a visit to the wonderful Highgate Cemetery may be of interest. Highgate is an incredible example of a Victorian cemetery with all of the bold Victorian statements of mausoleums, vaults, catacombs, obelisks and statues, with most of the 37 acres now rather overgrown and well aged. One or two of the graves are slightly more modern such as the powerful bust of Karl Marx.
When Karl Marx died in 1883 (he moved to London in 1849) he was buried in the simple family plot at Highgate Cemetery. However the Communist Party of Great Britain felt that something more befitting for the "Father of Communism" should be put in place and in 1954 they commissioned the amazing monument and bust we see today. Sadly the decision had not been unanimous and many felt that, considering his teachings, it was rather grotesque and some, in 1970, went as far as trying to blow it up.
Of course you will also find many other graves belonging to famous people of the past including that of a once famous bare knuckle fighter called Tom Sayers. Charles Dickens' family grave can also be found at Highgate and other famous graves include those of; George Eliot, J. W. Cross, C. H. Newton, Michael Faraday, Julius Beer, Christina Rossetti, G. Wombwell, Dr S.Birch, James Selby, John Lobb and six former Lord Mayors of London.
Due to the rapid increases in the population of London during the Victorian period the disposal of the dead became something of a problem. In response seven cemeteries were created which are known as the "Magnificent Seven" due to their typical Victorian design and over indulgence which can be seen in the many public buildings which remain today. Of the seven graveyards the one at Highgate is the most decorated and it is considered the finest.
Highgate very quickly became the burial place of choice for influential Victorians who happily spent huge sums of money on their grave monuments or burial places. To meet this demand specially designed areas were created and one of the most iincredible is known as the Egyptian Avenue which has a most outstanding entrance and leads onto the famous Circle of Lebanon. The Circle of Lebanon gets its name from the fact that the mausoleums are arranged in two circles around a central Lebanon cedar tree.
One of the most exciting aspects of exploring Highgate is suddenly seeing an incredible statue appear amongst the overgrown bushes and vines. Throughout the cemetery there are many examples of the most incredible memorial sculptures which include representations of the usual religious subjects and even family pets. Of special note is the grave of the famous coachman James Selby which is well worth searching for.
You may think that I have forgotten to tell you exactly what to expect at the grave of James Selby but I have purposely avoided a full description as I feel that it is actually so spectacular that you really need to see it with your own eyes. If I tell you too much it will spoil the impact, let's compare it to telling somebody the ending of a movie before they watch it.
If you enjoy your city tours which include the not so well known places of interest then a visit to the wonderful Highgate Cemetery may be of interest. Highgate is an incredible example of a Victorian cemetery with all of the bold Victorian statements of mausoleums, vaults, catacombs, obelisks and statues, with most of the 37 acres now rather overgrown and well aged. One or two of the graves are slightly more modern such as the powerful bust of Karl Marx.
When Karl Marx died in 1883 (he moved to London in 1849) he was buried in the simple family plot at Highgate Cemetery. However the Communist Party of Great Britain felt that something more befitting for the "Father of Communism" should be put in place and in 1954 they commissioned the amazing monument and bust we see today. Sadly the decision had not been unanimous and many felt that, considering his teachings, it was rather grotesque and some, in 1970, went as far as trying to blow it up.
Of course you will also find many other graves belonging to famous people of the past including that of a once famous bare knuckle fighter called Tom Sayers. Charles Dickens' family grave can also be found at Highgate and other famous graves include those of; George Eliot, J. W. Cross, C. H. Newton, Michael Faraday, Julius Beer, Christina Rossetti, G. Wombwell, Dr S.Birch, James Selby, John Lobb and six former Lord Mayors of London.
Due to the rapid increases in the population of London during the Victorian period the disposal of the dead became something of a problem. In response seven cemeteries were created which are known as the "Magnificent Seven" due to their typical Victorian design and over indulgence which can be seen in the many public buildings which remain today. Of the seven graveyards the one at Highgate is the most decorated and it is considered the finest.
Highgate very quickly became the burial place of choice for influential Victorians who happily spent huge sums of money on their grave monuments or burial places. To meet this demand specially designed areas were created and one of the most iincredible is known as the Egyptian Avenue which has a most outstanding entrance and leads onto the famous Circle of Lebanon. The Circle of Lebanon gets its name from the fact that the mausoleums are arranged in two circles around a central Lebanon cedar tree.
One of the most exciting aspects of exploring Highgate is suddenly seeing an incredible statue appear amongst the overgrown bushes and vines. Throughout the cemetery there are many examples of the most incredible memorial sculptures which include representations of the usual religious subjects and even family pets. Of special note is the grave of the famous coachman James Selby which is well worth searching for.
You may think that I have forgotten to tell you exactly what to expect at the grave of James Selby but I have purposely avoided a full description as I feel that it is actually so spectacular that you really need to see it with your own eyes. If I tell you too much it will spoil the impact, let's compare it to telling somebody the ending of a movie before they watch it.
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