Situated slightly to the north of the City Observatory complex is a hidden burial chamber that dates back to the late 18th century and has been shrouded in secrecy ever since.
The crypt, which is believed to be the first Jewish grave site in Edinburgh, was created for a Mr Herman Lyon, a wealthy Jewish man who arrived with his family in the capital from Prussia in 1788.
In 1791, Mr Lyon appealed to the town council for a burial site for himself and his wife, stating that they did not wish to be interred in a Christian cemetery. Eventually, they agreed on a plot of land atop Calton Hill, which was sold to Mr Lyon for the princely sum of £17 sterling.
