Showing 1-18 of 18 results
-
Charlotte Square
At the western end of George St is Charlotte Sq, the architectural jewel of the New Town, which was designed by Robert Adam shortly before his death in 1791. The northern side of the square is Adam's masterpiece and one of the finest examples of Georgian architecture anywhere. Bute House, in the centre at No 6, is the official residence of Scotland's first minister.
-
City Chambers
The imposing Georgian City Chambers were originally built by John Adam (brother of Robert) between 1753 and 1761 to serve as the Royal Exchange - a covered meeting place for city merchants - replacing the traditional meeting place of the Mercat Cross. However, the merchants preferred their old stamping ground in the street and the building has housed the offices of the city council since 1811.
-
Edinburgh Castle
The brooding, black crags of the Castle Rock, shouldering above Princes St Gardens, are the very reason for Edinburgh's existence. This rocky hill - the glacier-worn stump of an ancient volcano - was the most easily defended hilltop on the invasion route between England and central Scotland, a route followed by countless armies over the centuries.
-
George Heriot's School
One of the most impressive buildings in the Old Town, this school was built in the 17th century with funds bequeathed by George Heriot (goldsmith and banker to King James VI, and popularly known as Jinglin' Geordie). It was originally a school and home for orphaned children, but became a fee-paying public school in 1886. It's open to the public on Doors Open Day (www.doorsopendays.org.uk) in September.
-
Georgian House
Dating from 1796, this elegant town house has been beautifully restored to show how Edinburgh's wealthy elite lived at the end of the 18th century. The rooms are furnished with the finest period furniture and the walls are decorated with paintings by Allan Ramsay, Henry Raeburn and Sir Joshua Reynolds. There are costumed guides on hand to add a bit of character, and a 35-minute video presentation helps to bring the place to life.
-
Greyfriars Bobby
One of Ediburgh's most popular memorials is the tiny statue of Greyfriars Bobby, a Skye terrier who maintained a vigil over the grave of his master, an Edinburgh police officer, from 1858 to 1872. The story was immortalised (and romanticised) by Eleanor Atkinson in her 1912 novel Greyfriars Bobby, which was made into a movie in 1961 by - who else? - Walt Disney (a remake was released in 2005).
-
Heart of Midlothian
Outside the western door of St Giles Cathedral is a cobblestone heart set into the paving that marks the site of the 15th-century Tolbooth. The Tolbooth served variously as a meeting place for parliament and the town council before becoming law courts and, finally, a notorious prison and place of execution. Immortalised in Sir Walter Scott's novel The Heart of Midlothian, the Tolbooth was demolished in the 19th century.
-
Highland Tolbooth Kirk
Edinburgh's tallest spire (71.7m) was built in the 1840s by James Graham and Augustus Pugin (architect of London's Houses of Parliament) and takes its name from Gaelic services held here in the 19th century for Edinburgh's Highland congregations.
-
Nelson Monument
Looking a bit like an upturned telescope - the similarity is intentional - the Nelson Monument was built to commemorate Admiral Lord Nelson's victory at Trafalgar in 1805. In 1852 a time-ball was added as a time signal for ships anchored in the Firth of Forth - it still drops from the cross-bars of the mast at the top of the monument at every day. The view from the top is superb.
-
Old Calton Burial Ground
One of Edinburgh's many atmospheric old cemeteries, Old Calton is dominated by the tall black obelisk of the Political Martyrs' Monument, which commemorates those who suffered in the fight for electoral reform in the 1790s. In the southern corner is the massive cylindrical grey stone tomb of David Hume (1711-76), Scotland's most famous philosopher.
-
Advertisement
-
Old College
Edinburgh University's Old College is a neoclassical masterpiece designed by Robert Adam in 1789; today it is home to the univeristy's law faculty. At the far end of the quad you'll find the Talbot Rice Gallery.
-
Palace of Holyroodhouse
Founded as a monastery in 1128, the Palace of Holyroodhouse is The Queen's official residence in Scotland. Highlights include the royal apartments, with intricately carved plaster ceilings, floor-to-ceiling tapestries and mythological paintings.
-
Parliament Hall
This magnificent 17th-century hall, with original oak hammer-beam roof, is where the original Scottish Parliament met before its dissolution in 1707. It's now used by lawyers and their clients as a meeting place but is open to the public. As you enter 11 Parliament Sq (there's a sign outside saying 'Parliament Hall; Court of Session') you'll see the reception desk in front of you; the hall is through the double doors immediately on your right.
-
Royal Yacht Britannia
The Royal Yacht Britannia was the royal family's home-away-from-home during their foreign travels from her launch in 1953 until her decommissioning in 1997. Now permanently moored at Ocean Terminal, she is a floating monument to the Queen's tastes and predilections.
-
Scott Monument
The massive Gothic spire of the Scott Monument was built by public subscription in memory of novelist Sir Walter Scott after his death in 1832. You can climb the 287 steps to the top for a superb view of the city; the stone figures that decorate the niches on the monument represent characters from Scott's novels. The statue of Scott with his favourite deerhound, Maida, was carved from a single 30-tonne block of white Italian marble.
-
Scottish Parliament Building
Edinburgh's most spectacular and controversial building, officially opened in 2004, houses Scotland's devolved parliament. Built from concrete, steel, oak and granite, it was a flagship architectural project that went way over budget and schedule, and was dogged by contention and bad luck at every step. The Main Hall, which houses an exhibition, shop and café, and the public gallery overlooking the Debating Chamber are open to the public.
-
St Giles' Cathedral
The great grey bulk of St Giles Cathedral, capped by a beautiful 15th-century crown spire, dominates the Royal Mile. John Knox served as minister here, preaching his uncompromising Calvinist message, but its proudest moment came in 1637 when a local woman called Jenny Geddes, incensed at the king's attempts to impose bishops on Scotland, hurled her stool at the dean.
-
Tron Kirk
Built in 1637, and taking its name from the tron or public weighbridge that once stood on the site, this church is famous for its magnificent oak hammer-beam roof, which rivals that in the Great Hall at Edinburgh Castle. The floor has been excavated by archaeologists to reveal the cobbled surface of Marlin's Wynd, a late-16th-century alley with the remains of cellars, staircases and medieval drains on either side.
-
Advertisement
Showing 1-18 of 18 results
