City of the Dead Tours
Contents
8 sections · tap a section for its opening lines1Orientation
Welcome to Edinburgh, a city where the boundary between the living and the dead has often been remarkably porous. As we begin this City of the Dead tour, specifically the acclaimed Double Dead variant, we are not merely embarking…
Listen in the app2The South Bridge Vaults — Entry into the Abyss
We now descend into the South Bridge Vaults, a series of chambers completed in 1788 that were originally intended to serve as storage and workshop space for the businesses above. However, the architectural integrity of the bridge…
Listen in the app3Ancient Foundations — The Roman Legacy
To truly understand the layers of Edinburgh's history, we must look further back than the vaults, to a time when the Roman Empire sought to extend its reach into the northern frontiers of Britain. In 79 AD, led by the general…
Listen in the app4Greyfriars Kirkyard — The Mountain of the Dead
We emerge from the shadows of the vaults and approach Greyfriars Kirkyard (Gray-fry-ers Kirk-yard), a site that has served as a burial ground for centuries. While there are approximately 450 headstones visible today, the reality…
Listen in the app5Covenanters Prison — A Site of Theological Suffering
Adjacent to the main kirkyard lies the Covenanters (Cov-en-ant-ers) Prison, a place that embodies a truly dark chapter of Scottish history. To understand this site, one must look past the idea of a 'haunted graveyard,' which some…
Listen in the app6The Mackenzie Poltergeist — The Black Mausoleum
Our journey leads us to the grand finale: the Black Mausoleum, the final resting place—or perhaps the restless epicenter—of George 'Bloody' Mackenzie. Mackenzie was the Lord Advocate responsible for the brutal persecution of the…
Listen in the app7Phenomena of the Dark — The Knockouts
As we conclude our exploration of the Covenanters Prison and the Black Mausoleum, we must address the most extreme manifestations of the Mackenzie Poltergeist. While scratches and bruises are common, the most alarming reports…
Listen in the app8Closing
As we make our way back toward the light of the modern city, we leave behind a landscape where history is not a static thing found in textbooks, but a living, breathing, and occasionally aggressive presence. We have transitioned…
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What is City of the Dead Tours?
City of the Dead Tours is a place with 8 story sections on Tellby. You can read the opening of each section on this page; the sound plays in the app.
| Type | Heritage |
|---|---|
| Story sections | 8 |
| Text language | English |
| Coordinates | 55.9467, -3.1916 |
| Last updated |
