Sweetheart Abbey, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland

Love set in stone. Sweetheart Abbey, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland

If you're wandering through Dumfries and Galloway in Scotland and stumble upon a striking red sandstone ruin, chances are you've just found Sweetheart Abbey. This is a 13th-century tale of devotion that still stands, stone by stone. Founded in 1273 by Lady Dervorguilla of Galloway, this Cistercian abbey wasn't just built for monks and prayers—it was built for love. When her husband, John de Balliol, passed away, Dervorguilla had his heart embalmed and placed in a silver casket. She carried it with her everywhere, like a medieval love letter on repeat. When she died, the heart was buried with her at the abbey she named in his memory—Dulce Cor, or 'Sweet Heart.'

Fast forward to today, and the abbey's skeletal remains still echo with romance. The soaring arches, weathered but proud, are a popular stop for history buffs, romantics and photographers chasing Scotland's softer side. While monks no longer chant in its cloisters, the ruin sings its own kind of hymn—a ballad of love that refused to be buried.