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Contrasting Character

Contrasting Character
Contrasting Character
This exhibition illustrates the contrasting characters of Edinburgh's planned and geometrically laid out New Town and the medieval Old Town.

The medieval fortress of Edinburgh castle stands high over the Old Town dominating the skyline. Below the castle Edinburgh's Old Town is a jumble of dark closes, narrow wynds and tall tenements. Overlaid on this medieval pattern are late eighteenth and nineteenth century 'improvement streets' with their distinctive Flemish or Scottish Baronial architecture, for example Cockburn Street and Victoria Street.

This contrasts strongly with the elegance and discipline of the New Town which set international standards in town planning and architecture. Built in the mid-to-late 18th Century, in response to overcrowding in the Old Town, Edinburgh's New Town is a marvel of urban planning, combining elegant architecture with wide streets, squares and gardens. The original character and architectural features of the Georgian New Town remain substantially intact today.

Discover other aspects of the Edinburgh World Heritage Site:

The Old and New Towns of Edinburgh World Heritage
The Topography of Hills and Valleys
Juxtaposition of the Old and New Towns
Valley of the Water of Leith
Townscape
Historic Buildings
Historic Interiors
Statues and Monuments
Parks, Gardens and Graveyards
Historic City and Capital of Scotland
Communities
Intellectual Tradition, Education and Law