Highgate: a picturesque spot in London

Running along the east side of Hampstead Heath, Highgate is perhaps one of the most picturesque places in London.

Today, let's take a look at this neighborhood.

Highgate: article summary

Highgate: what can you see?

There's plenty to visit in Highgate. You can start to the cemetery and on to Karl Marx's grave. Highgate Wood is also a fascinating place to discover.

Discover Highgate Cemetery

Highgate Cemetery is the best known of the seven magnificent cemeteries that have been built in the area. on the outskirts of the Victorian London.

It was built in 1839. First they built the famous West Cemetery, then the extension to the East Cemetery, which opened in 1860.

Why is Highgate Cemetery so famous? Well, it's in part due to the people who are buried there.

With names like Karl Marx, George Eliot, Michael Faraday and Christina Rosetti among its residents, it's not surprising that it has quickly established itself as a place where people pay homage to the famous departed.

A very atypical architecture

The rambling expanses of Victorian Gothic stonework punctuated by winding lanes amid shady trees are also wonderful things to discover.

However, access to the West Cemetery is almost exclusively by guided tour.

To visit the cemetery, you will need :

• 18 £ per adult
• 10 £ per child over 8

No children under 8 are allowed. Tickets also includes admission to the Eastern Cemetery on the same day.

Take a walk in Highgate Wood

Unjustly lost in the shadow of Hampstead Heath, Highgate Wood is one of North London's finest green spaces.

Stretching from the gates of Highgate station to Alexandra Palace, this part of the forest is magnificent at any time of year.

It's particularly beautiful during wood hyacinth season, when the area near Cranley Gate bursts into a carpet of flowers.

Visit Holly Village 

Highgate is no stranger to imposing architecture, but the elaborate neo-Gothic buildings of Holly Village are incredible to discover.

The village within the village was built at the request of Angela Burdett-Coutts in Victorian times, Britain's second-richest woman.

No expense was spared in its outrageously flamboyant design. Unfortunately, you can't get inside, but the outside gives you plenty to dream about.

Highgate views from Heath

You can't come to Highgate without spending some time on Heath. Despite its name, much of it runs alongside Highgate, including :

• Kenwood sections
• Swimming ponds for men
• Kenwood women's swimming pond

And that's not to mention the superb views over London's skyline. from Parliament Hill.

Visit Highgate's magnificent scientific institution

Great thinkers and intellectuals have long gathered at the Highgate Literary and Scientific Institution.

It was created in 1839 to help the general public become aware of the widespread changes that were taking place. of the industrial revolution.

Today, it's known for its vast program of events, films, lectures and music, as well as its extensive library.

Non-members can book events and access the reference library.

Highgate: locate the different blue plates

Highgate has no shortage of famous, historic and present-day residents. A fact confirmed by the proliferation of blue plaques flanking the facades of many of the district's buildings. Chasing them away is one of my favorite activities.

Getting to Kenwood House

The attractive Georgian exterior of Kenwood House is an attractive addition to Hampstead Heath. Managed by English Heritage, you will find inside an art collection featuring works by :

• Rembrandt
• Vermeer
• Gainsborough
• Cézanne.

There are also extensive gardens, woods and walking areas, including a dueling ground hidden in a small clearing in the forest.

Take a walk in Waterlow Park

The 11-hectare Waterlow Park was donated to the public by Sir Sidney Waterlow. It remains a welcoming combination of formal gardens, lawns and water features.

Lauderdale House, an arts and education center whose buildings date back to the Tudor era, is at the heart of it all.

Discover the legendary Whittington Stone 

London's legendary mayor, Dick Whittington, has left his mark on time. So it may come as a surprise to find this small stone statue commemorating one of the most important events in his life.

The Whittington Stone marks the spot where Whittington, at the start of his journey from London, had an epiphany. He turned back and served as Lord Mayor four times between 1397 and 1420.

On your visit to London, I recommend a detour to Highgate. Here you can discover the peace and quiet of the English countryside. while remaining just a few minutes from the capital.

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