Great day exploring Glasgow today. The Necropolis was created in the Victorian era, at the same time as Glasgow was establishing itself as the ‘second city of the Empire’. Thanks to the shipbuilding industry on the Clyde, Glasgow grew rapidly, enjoyed international trade with the British Empire and was – for a time – one of the richest cities in the world. Glasgow citizens saw a need to celebrate and commemorate these accomplishments. Thanks to the slightly macabre Victorian fascination with death, a grand cemetery – modelled on the Père Lachaise in Paris – was planned. Contrary to the negative associations we now have with graveyards, the Necropolis was always intended to be a joyful space.
