Greyfriar’s Bobby – The World’s Most Loyal Pup

Few dogs can offer the same claim to fame as Greyfriars Bobby, the wee dog that followed its master to his grave in Edinburgh, Scotland.

The Statue of Greyfriar's Bobby sits in front of the Edinburgh bar with the same name.

Bobby, a small dog who has been immortalized in legends and films over the years, was the faithful companion of an Edinburgh man who frequented the nearby Greyfriars Pub, just off George IV Bridge in Scotland’s capital. When his owner passed away, Bobby took to visiting the grave site in Greyfriars churchyard every day, stopping in at the nearby Greyfriars pub, where his loyalty was rewarded with food and drink from the bar’s owners.
[Image credit: NaaBoo]

Greyfriar’s Bobby Commemorated

After Bobby passed away, the townspeople of Edinburgh took up a collection and raised a statue in commemoration of his adoration of his master. The statue, which lies at the crossing of George IV Bridge, Chambers Street, and Candlemaker’s Row, is a favourite of tourists from Scotland and abroad, and with a number of films made about the dog over time, Greyfriars Bobby finds his profile rising with each successive year.

Greyfriar's Bobby's gravestone in Greyfriar's Kirk Graveyard

Also unusal for a dog, his remains are buried close to those of his master in the Greyfriar’s Kirk and commemorated with a grave stone of his own. The Gravestone erected to Greyfriar’s Bobby’s memory is inscribed with the poignant phrase: Let his loyalty & devotion be a lesson to us all.

Often gifts are laid at the foot of his grave in memory of this wee dog whose story has inspired so many.

[Image credit: ZlatkoGR]

Greyfriar’s Bobby’s Pub & More

After photographing themselves with the statue, visitors can relax in a nearby pub, visit the National Museum of Scotland (halfway down Chambers Street), or take in a performance at Edinburgh University’s nearby Bedlam Theatre – run entirely by students and presenting some of the best cutting edge theater in the city. Only a few steps away is the Elephant House, the cafe J.K. Rowling made famous by using it as a base for her writing of the internationally best-selling Harry Potter novels.

Greyfriar's Bobby's Bar in Edinburgh, is opposite Greyfriar's Bobby's statue and beside Greyfriar's Kirk Graveyard

Greyfriars Bobby remains to this day a monument to a loyal dog who sat by his master throughout his life, even after his master was dead and buried, and the spirit of this fine dog lives on in Edinburgh’s many monuments and the friendly, outgoing spirit of its residents. Visiting Greyfriars Bobby gives any tourist a great taste of Edinburgh’s history, and makes this a sight not to be missed.

[Image credit: clipp2nd]