Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All the United Kingdom England London George Michael Memorial
George Michael Memorial is permanently closed.

This entry remains in the Atlas as a record of its history, but it is no longer accessible to visitors.

AO Edited

George Michael Memorial

An unsanctioned shrine that sprung up outside the late singer's home is causing a stir in London's Highgate neighborhood.

London, England

Added By
Kerry Wolfe
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
The unofficial memorial garden for George Michael.   Tyler Cole (Atlas Obscura User)
Fans come from around the world to honor the late singer.   Tyler Cole (Atlas Obscura User)
Tokens fill the memorial garden for George Michael.   Tyler Cole (Atlas Obscura User)
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Just a short walk away from Highgate Cemetery, one of London’s creepiest Victorian graveyards, is another, smaller memorial to the dearly departed. Since December of 2016, a guerrilla shrine of sorts has sprouted atop a patch of land outside George Michael’s former home.

Fans of the late Wham! singer have been honoring his memory with flowers, flags, poetry, candles, and a host of other offerings. They’ve transformed the small slice of private property into a public memorial garden. It’s a place to both mourn and celebrate a life lost too soon.

More than a year after the singer’s death, heartbroken fans from around the world still come, leaving mounds of tokens in their wake. According to the Guardian, the number of people who visit the unsanctioned shrine now surpasses the number of those who drop by Highgate Cemetery to see the grave of Karl Marx.

Residents of the Highgate neighborhood—a posh, dignified area of London—aren’t quite pleased with the garden’s steady stream of attention. They view the piles of wilted flowers and soggy cards as an eyesore, and aren’t thrilled with the volume of people who continue flocking to the small park.

The shrine’s fate is, at the moment, uncertain. Fans have petitioned to have a statue erected in lieu of the often messy, mucky memorial garden. But, as the singer was a private person, his family decided against the proposal. George Michael is buried at the nearby Highgate Cemetery, in an unmarked grave to protect his and his family's privacy.

Update May 2019: The memorial has been dismantled. 

Update as of July 2021: The memorial has not reappeared.

Related Tags

Memorials Shrines Death Celebrity Gardens Pop Culture Music Lost Wonders Plants

Community Contributors

Added By

Kerry Wolfe

Edited By

budowski, Snowdrop68

  • budowski
  • Snowdrop68

Published

January 23, 2018

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/12/15/shrine-outside-george-michaels-home-causes-friction-year-death/
  • https://www.theguardian.com/music/2018/jan/07/george-michael-memorial-garden-threat-resident-row
George Michael Memorial
4-5 The Grove
Highgate
London, England
United Kingdom
51.56994, -0.151375
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Highgate Cemetery

London, England

miles away

Dick Whittington’s Cat

London, England

miles away

Parkland Walk

London, England

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of London

London

England

Places 536
Stories 108

Nearby Places

Highgate Cemetery

London, England

miles away

Dick Whittington’s Cat

London, England

miles away

Parkland Walk

London, England

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of London

London

England

Places 536
Stories 108

Related Places

  • The shrine.

    Munich, Germany

    Orlando di Lasso Statue

    This tribute to the 16th-century composer is now an unusual shrine to Michael Jackson.

  • Likeness of Bob Hope in his memorial garden.

    Los Angeles, California

    Bob Hope Grave and Memorial Garden

    The final resting place of one of Hollywood’s most prolific and talented actors is on the grounds of a California Mission.

  • The Griffin Monument

    Silver Plume, Colorado

    Griffin Monument

    This cliffside memorial marks the final resting place of a lonely violinist.

  • Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

    'The Constellation'

    This massive piece of artwork weighs more than 250 tons, and was designed as a tribute to the first president of the United Arab Emirates.

  • Beltway sniper victims memorial at Brookside Gardens

    Wheaton, Maryland

    Brookside Gardens Reflection Terrace

    Hidden within an idyllic suburban garden is a memorial dedicated to the victims of a terrifying spree of killings committed on U.S. soil.

  • Norfolk, Virginia

    Mary Hardy MacArthur Memorial

    The childhood home of the famous general's mother is now a small, walled garden.

  • Centrepiece sculpture.

    Campbeltown, Scotland

    Linda McCartney Memorial Garden

    An appropriate memorial dedicated to a well-renowned figure of Campbeltown.

  • Mill Brae Garden

    Larne, Northern Ireland

    Mill Brae Memory Garden

    An uninspiring grass verge transformed into a therapeutic community garden.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.