Vistory of Edinburgh

Edinburgh Travellers Guide: Tourist information Centre to Walter Scott Monument

Part One of Six: Scott Monument & the Tartan Kilted Bagpiper.

Our overview / walk starts at the Tourist Information Centre for Edinburgh & Scotland, on the rooftop of Princes Shopping Mall, which is at the east end of the city's main thoroughfare; Princes Street. (Most local buses will pass this location, as they go through the city-centre and this is where you would arrive in Edinburgh if coming by train or airport bus.) After taking the scenic route, through Princes Street Gardens, which runs along the valley that separates Edinburgh's Old & New Town, we climb the hill that will finally take us to the fortress of Edinburgh Castle.

From ornamental iron railings lining the edge of the rooftop we can take in our first and most defining iconic view of “Auld Reekie” (Edinburgh). A view where the symbol of the city, Edinburgh Castle, watches over her Old Town medieval relics, Gothic follies and higgledy-piggledy tenements and down on the neoclassical Greek temples and Georgian rectangular splendour of her New Town.

Edinburgh, the Capital of Scotland, with a population of only 450,000,  plays host to excellent art galleries and museums and has a good selection of restaurants and shops - quite a few of them only a short walk away from our viewpoint here in the heart of this city.

Now listen, above the hubbub of the city, there is a familiar Scottish sound. Someone on the street below is entertaining tourists and passers-by with their Bagpipes. The skirl from them washes over a guy who sits unmoved under the large, dark, Gothic tower rising up in East Princes Street Gardens.

This is the Scott Monument and the statue of Sir Walter Scott has been under the monument commemorating him, with his dog Maida, since 1846. Known as The Wizard of the North, Scott grew up in Edinburgh and became famous for his prolific writing. They include a series of novels that give their name to the 'Waverley' rail station, which nestles in the valley beneath Princes Mall. Walter Scott found some of his Celtic romanticism in James Macpherson's popular poem-cycle 'Ossian', which inspired and helped him tell the stories of Scotland's past, ancient and modern, in his wildly successful genre; The Historical Novel. Stone-carvings decorating the Scott Monument are characters from Walter Scott's novels and poems. Our tartan-clad bagpiper shrill tune laments those characters, as well as being one of Scott’s characters himself.
Scott fashioned his vision in tartan on the Savage Warrior of the wild, remote and beautiful glens of the Scottish Highlands. Their cause was lost twenty years before Scott's birth and their clan way of life was suppressed. Their traditional dress (The Kilt), refashioned by Scott for a king's visit to Edinburgh, was widely adopted by Scottish Regiments of the British Army and of course is a popular outfit for men to wear at Scottish Weddings, Rugby matches, Ceilidhs (Dances) and other shindigs throughout the land.

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Edinburgh Overview 2: Princes, George, Queen, New Town street names

Part Two of Six: Building & Naming Edinburgh's Georgian New Town.

Princes Street, Edinburgh’s main shopping thoughfare, beside the Scott Monument, is about a mile long and fronts her Georgian New Town.

The Street was originally planned to be known as Saint Giles Street, after the patron saint of Edinburgh, but the British Hanoverian King, George III (unkindly remembered as a mad king who lost America), wished such an important new street in his kingdom should represent his sons, the Royal Princes.

George Street, which runs parallel to and above Princes Street, still has some good examples of the Georgian style of architecture that is used throughout the Edinburgh New Towns. This, first built, Edinburgh New Town is completed by Castle Street, Frederick Street and Hanover Street, which criss-cross to form a modern rectangular street grid. Queen Street, which is again parallel to George Street and down the other side of the ridge, is named for his Queen as is Charlotte Square at the west end of the grid. In naming Saint Andrew Square, at the east end, the emphasis changes back to the original plan: Andrew is Scotland's patron saint and his cross is on the Scottish national flag. Thistle Street and Rose Street are narrower service streets and lanes that run to the rear of the more prestigious main streets – the Scottish Thistle and the English Rose symbolise the emblems of Scotland and England respectively.

Building the New Towns of Edinburgh started in 1767 and they were completed by 1840.  During this time Princes Street's residents were successful with a petitions to have uninterrupted views towards the Castle and their higgledy-piggledy old town, and an order to build on only one side of Princes Street was put in place.Even then though, the face of Princes Street was changing; Jenners a department store, opposite the Scott monument was challenging the street's residential status. Typical High Street chain-stores and tourist shops now dominate Princes Street, with high-end shopping moving to George Street and Multrees Walk, beside Harvey Nichols in Saint Andrew Square.
As Edinburghers built their neo-Classical New Towns on geometrical lines, down the slope, north past Queen Street, they were also making alterations to their medieval castle and adding turrets and towers in the Baronial style to their old town skyline: aesthetically-pleasing additions that they thought more ideally suited the historic but run-down old town .

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3 National Gallery of Scotland, Mound, and Edinburgh Old and New Town

Part Three of Six in Edinburgh Information Story Travel Guides.

Walk through Princes Street Gardens, past the Scott Monument and arrive at 'The Mound'; a road linking Edinburgh's medieval old with her neo-classical new.

When this road was first considered, Edinburgh's New Town was residential, and its residents still worked in their old town. The earth, from excavating the new town, was dumped, in the valley between; over the drained remnants of a no longer required defensive and offensive smelling North Loch. The mounds of earth formed a handy thoroughfare for the resident's daily commute.

There are two buildings at the foot of The Mound which are an art lovers dream; or a good place for the rest of us to go when it's raining. Both are part of 'The National Gallery Complex', one of Scotland's top free visitor attractions.

'The Royal Scottish Academy' now occupies the building that a young Victoria sits atop. Her husband Prince Albert laid the foundation stone for the building behind; now 'The National Gallery of Scotland'.

 

The Playfair steps running up the side of these galleries, takes you from architect William Henry Playfair's two neo-classical structures, to his Gothic styled 'New College' above, now the University of Edinburgh's, School of Divinity.

'New College' was originally built to house the headquarters of four hundred and fifty displaced ministers, who broke away from The Church of Scotland and went on to form their own Free Church of Scotland, (free as in the congregation is free to choose its own minister) an event known as 'The Disruption'.

Such was their cunning; unable to hide from view the church that stood behind, they got Playfair to incorporate its spire between the Gothic towers of their building. With a trick of the eye, at certain angles, the spire can look like part of the New College building.

Move down from New College, to the building with all flags flying:

This was 'The Bank of Scotland on the Mound'. During recent global financial problems, 'The Bank of Scotland' was hastily incorporated into 'Lloyds Banking Group', and a bit of Scottish history disappeared overnight, 'The Bank on the Mound', as it's known, still houses a museum that traces the history of the building, and banking in Scotland. They have examples of old Scottish coins and notes, also how money was mode, (legally and illegally). There's a variety of other displays, such as, what one million pounds looks like. With no admission charge, 'The Museum on the Mound' is another good place to go on a rainy day.

Part Four of Six in Edinburgh Information Story Travel Guides

Before we leave our view from the Mound, look down the valley, past Waverley Station and the North Bridge, and glimpse the edges of two hills; more

 

4 Calton Hill and Arthur's Seat: The Best Photo Viewpoints in Edinburgh

 

 

Part Four of Six in Edinburgh Information Story Travel Guides.

Before leaving the Mound look over Princes Street Gardens, beyond Waverley Station and the North Bridge, to the end of the valley and glimpse the edges of two hills. To the left, on the crag of Calton Hill, we see the baronial styled Governors House; all that remains of a notorious jail.

The top of Calton hill is an excellent place to take pictures of the city, especially, when Edinburgh gets one of her bonnie sunsets.

On the first of May each year, fair maidens after attending The Beltane Fire Festival on Calton Hill, go at sunrise to Arthur Seat, the other hill in our view, to wash their faces in the morning dew.

Arthur's Seat is an extinct volcano sitting in the Queen's Park; an excellent rugged park for roaming around when the city gets too much. Go to the top of this big hill, and you are rewarded with striking views of Edinburgh and her surroundings.

At the side of the Queen's Park, and the Canongate, is the new Scottish Parliament building and the Palace of Holyroodhouse - Her Majesty the Queen's residence when in Edinburgh.

In the 12th Century after King David I introduced Burghs into Scotland; he awarded Royal Burgh-town status to both Edinburgh and Canongate. At that time Canongate was a small settlement servicing its Abbey at Holyrood and growing up a walkway leading to Edinburgh Castle.

Edinburgh was also developing, from her castle, down the same walkway. Over the years much of the pageantry and spectacle of Scotland's history has passed, up and down, over this causeway and its cobblestones now make up Edinburgh's Royal Mile.

Come three quarters of the way up our skyline view of Edinburgh's Old Town; the distinctive stone crown of the Presbyterian High Kirk of Edinburgh, or Saint Giles Cathedral, is the only true medieval structure in this view of the Royal Mile.

After the Union of Scottish and English Parliaments in 1707 Scotland kept its own Protestant religion and still retains its own legal system. The old Parliament House in the Square by Saint Giles is where, the Court of Sessions, Scotland's highest law courts sit.

Since 1999 Scotland has had a devolved Government. As mentioned earlier the new Parliament is housed opposite the Palace of Holyroodhouse.

Part Five of Six in Edinburgh Information Story Travel Guides

 

 

 

Free Walking Tours: 5 West Princes Street View to Castle Hill, Ramsay Garden and Camera Obscura.

Part Five of Six in our Edinburgh Visitor Guide & Walking Tour.

Let's now move, from the Mound, to explore our Edinburgh view further:

Walk between the two galleries, after crossing the road, go into West Princes Street Gardens.

Once there - look up at the red and white buildings of Ramsay Garden.

The colourful cottage style of these apartments and terraced houses are different; almost playful in contrast to the sharp edges of nearby New College and Edinburgh Castle.

Since the well to do's of Edinburgh moved en-masse, from living cheek by jowl; life, in the neglected old town tenements, had become wretched for those that remained. With the hope of enticing a few of the well-heeled back; town planner and social reformer, Professor Patrick Geddes developed the Ramsay Garden complex around, the poet, Allan Ramsay's, octagonal lodge: Seen in middle and known, because of its shape, as Goose Pie House. He kept one apartment for himself and sold the rest, to help pay for the renovation on a few of these tenements; turning some into student accommodation for Edinburgh University.

 

Around the complex there are murals and symbols, reminding us of ancient times: For instance, with a keen eye, you can see on the roof by Ramsay Lane a feline Devil; weathered, now more like a cat, perched and ready to jump!

On a wall, by the Castle Esplanade side of Ramsay Garden, is 'The Witches Well': Geddes tribute to 300 witches that were tied to the stake, strangled, if they were lucky, and then burnt to ashes.

 

 

 

Down from this, on Castle Hill, the white and black tower is where Maria Theresa Short housed her Camera Obscura. Geddes later purchased this building, renaming it - 'Outlook Tower'.

 

Using the Camera Obscura, he tried to show the close links people had with their environment. Outlook Tower is Edinburgh's oldest, purpose built, paid attraction.

Part Six Edinburgh Information Story Travel Guides. Finally we go from Edinburgh's oldest paid attraction, to Scotland's most visited, paid attraction - Edinburgh Castle. more

Free Walking Tours: 6 Edinburgh Castle, Military Tattoo, Festival and Fireworks

Part Six of Six in our Edinburgh Visitor Guide & Walking Tour.

Finally, we now move our attention from Outlook Tower, Edinburgh's oldest purpose-built paid attraction, onto the high point of Edinburgh's Royal Mile, Scotland's most visited paid attraction - Edinburgh Castle.

Dramatic and impressive from our viewpoint here in Princes Street Gardens, Edinburgh Castle is the jewel in Historic Scotland's crown: With its popularity and the limited space inside, Historic Scotland struggle to give the tourist visiting Edinburgh Castle an experience that could match their expectation; then there's the high entrance cost. But! Can you come to Edinburgh, without visiting her castle? Once inside, Historic Scotland does provide free guided tours and there's an unequalled opportunity to take some memorable pictures of and from Edinburgh Castle.

If you are visiting Edinburgh during the month of August, another popular experience held on the castles esplanade is The Edinburgh Military Tattoo. Staged in the evenings, and outdoors, it is essential, if you want to go and see the tattoo, to book tickets early and dress warmly!

August is festival time in Edinburgh and Edinburgh Castle provides a fantastic backdrop for festival fireworks: After the tattoo's late performance each Saturday night, there are fireworks from Edinburgh Castle ramparts (tattoo fireworks start at Midnight and go on for 15 minutes). At the end of Edinburgh Festival, each year there's more fireworks from the castle, with choreographed live music from The Edinburgh Chamber Orchestra in Princes Street Gardens below. You can watch and listen to this 45 minute spectacle for free in Inverleith Park, or (if you have a ticket) up close here in Princes Street Gardens.

Or view our 2009 Edinburgh Festival Fireworks. video spectacle now.

Thanks for reading our little intro guide to Edinburgh, I hope it's given a few ideas for your visit. Edinburgh is a small and beautiful city, in which, if you are willing to do some home-leg-work, you can have a great time, just by wandering around this compact city. If using this guide as a walking tour, get going by climbing the pathways ahead, up Castle Hill; or back at ViStoryof Edinburgh's home page.