Edinburgh

admin — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 07:31:55 +0000

Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland and the second largest city after Glasgow. It is not only a historical but also cosmopolitan and cultural city. Its location is striking because it is perched on some extinct volcanoes and rocks which emerge on the generally flat region of the Lothians. Every year the famous Edinburgh Festival takes place there and a series of official and independent festivals are held about 4 weeks from early August. After London, it is the second most desired tourist destination in the United Kingdom. Tourists all over the world are attracted by the city and about 13 million visitors go round the town every year. The historic centre of the town is divided in two by the broad green patch of the Princess Street Gardens. On the south is seen the Edinburgh Castle, perched on the top of an extinct volcanic crag, and along the view of the Old Town reaches the horizon. Princess Street and the New town are on the north. The financial district with its banking institutions and housing insurance is situated to the west of the castle. The Edinburgh International Conference Centre is maybe the most important building there, in the shape of a circle, built by sandstone. The Old Town has preserved its medieval plan and a lot of the buildings date back to the era of Reformation. One of its ends is closed by the castle and the main street, the Royal Mile, leads away. Several minor streets (called closes or wynds), lead downhill. The public buildings are surrounded by large squares such as St Giles Cathedral and the Law Court. The notable Royal Museum of Scotland, Surgeons’ Hall and Mc Ewan hall are nearby. The disposition of the streets is typical for the old quarters of many European cities in the north. As the Old Town was overcrowded and increasing quickly, the New Town appeared in the 18th Century. However, the city remained quite compact, confined around the castle. The eminence known as Arthur’s Seat is to the southeast of Edinburgh, overlooking Holyroodhouse and the Old Town. It is a collection of side vents from the main volcano on which remnants Edinburgh was built. The vents are now the highest points on a large territory of land. Nowadays Arthur’s Seat is part of Holyrood Park, owned in the past by the Monarch and part of the grounds of the Palace of Holyroodhouse. There is a large number of clubs, restaurants and pubs in Edinburgh as well as a great variety of shops, including upmarket department stores and charity shops in Stockbridge. On Princess Street the variety is from pound shops till Jenners. Edinburgh is famous for its strong economy, stronger than any city in the United Kingdom except London. The students in the three universities and in the colleges soften the stuffiness of its citizens, regarded as the Achilles heel of the city.

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Edinburgh