Edinburgh, Scotland

Nearby areas in Edinburgh, Scotland

Old Town

Castle Rock is the seat of the often-beleaguered Edinburgh Castle, which was the defensive foundation of the medieval city and is now it is the most popular tourist site in Scotland. Within the castle is the oldest building in Edinburgh, the 900 year-old Saint Margaret's Chapel built in honor of the wife King Malcolm III. For nearly a thousand years, the tiny chapel has withstood countless military invasions and is still used for military marriages. Mons Meg, a massive 15th-century cannon, is also in castle, and with a distance of 1+ miles, it earned the nickname "the Muckle Murderer," starting the institution of the One O'Clock Gun. The Grassmarket and the Lawnmarket surround the castle and are medieval sites of agricultural and clothing markets. From the Castle to the royal residence at Holyrood Palace runs the Royal Mile, the High Street of the Old Town and site of important buildings such as John Knox's House and the Moubray House. St. Giles Cathedral has inhabited this street since the 12th century, though only 4 pillars of the original building still stand. Branching off of the Royal Mile are many interesting areas such as the George IV Bridge and Candlemaker Row. Here also is Brodie's Close, named after Francis Brodie, whose son William was the inspiration for Robert Louis Stevenson's Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

New Town

The world-renowned Princes Street is the main thoroughfare in the New Town, which offers plenty of shopping, food, and a dramatic view of the Edinburgh Castle. Walk along this mile-long street and you'll find the Royal Scottish Academy, the National Gallery, and the monument to Sir Walter Scott with his dog Maida. Plans for the New Town included 2 churches at the parallel squares, St. Andrew's and Charlotte's, but the influential Sir Lawrence Dundas was able to alter the plans and acquire the site for his own mansion, so the St. Andrew's church ended up on nearby George Street. Calton Hill offers the best view of the Old and New Towns, and is the site of the National Monument. The Royal Museum of Scotland and Scottish National Portrait Gallery share a home on Queens Street on one end, and the beautiful Georgian House (furnished as it would have been in 1796) on the other.

For more information about Edinburgh, Scotland

Edinburgh and Scotland Information Centre

3 Princes Street, Edinburgh, Scotland; Phone 0131-473-3800; Fax 0131-473-3881.

Scottish Tourist Board

23 Ravelston Terrace, Edinburgh EH4 3EU; Phone 0131-332-2433; Fax 0131-315-4545.

Chicago

625 N. Michigan Avenue, Suite 1510, Chicago, IL 60611.

New York

British Tourist Authority, 551 5th Avenue, Suite 701, New York, NY 10176, phone 212-986-2200 or 800-462-2748, fax 212-986-188, e-mail travelinfo@bta.org.uk.