The neoclassical Burns Monument (1830), a Greek-style memorial to Scotland's national poet Robert Burns, stands on the southern flank of Calton Hill. It was designed by Thomas Hamilton, a former pupil of the Royal High School (now closed), which stands just across the road.


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Nearby attractions

1. Dunbar’s Close Garden

0.11 MILES

Tucked away at the end of an Old Town close, this walled garden has been laid out in the style of the 17th century, with gravel paths, neatly trimmed…

2. Canongate Kirkyard

0.12 MILES

The attractive curved gable of the Canongate Kirk, built in 1688, overlooks a kirkyard that contains the graves of several famous people, including…

3. Scottish Poetry Library

0.13 MILES

A fantastic literary resource housed in award-winning modern architecture off Canongate, the poetry library hosts regular exhibitions and is a source of…

4. People's Story

0.15 MILES

One of the surviving symbols of the Canongate district's former independence is the Canongate Tolbooth. Built in 1591, it served successively as a…

5. Museum of Edinburgh

0.15 MILES

You can't miss the colourful facade of Huntly House, brightly painted in red and yellow ochre, opposite the Tolbooth clock on the Royal Mile. Built in…

6. National Monument

0.16 MILES

The largest structure on the summit of Calton Hill, the National Monument was a rather over-ambitious attempt to replicate the Parthenon in Athens, and…

7. Scottish Parliament Building

0.18 MILES

The Scottish Parliament Building, on the site of a former brewery and designed by Catalan architect Enric Miralles (1955–2000), was opened by the Queen in…

8. Nelson Monument

0.18 MILES

Looking a bit like an upturned telescope – the similarity is intentional – and offering superb views over the city and across the Firth of Forth, the…