The National Monument (Edinburgh's Disgrace)

Category

Library Item

Item no

10810

Title

The National Monument (Edinburgh's Disgrace) from the roof of the City Observatory

Description

The unfinished National Monument on Calton Hill in Edinburgh. The classical structure is made up of a row of columns. The view also takes in the buildings of the north-eastern part of the city towards the river Forth.

Artist / maker

MacLean, Kevin

Date

2007

Size

19 x 25.4 cm

Type

Digital image

Location

Edinburgh and Scottish Collection

The National Monument is situated on Calton Hill in Edinburgh. It was intended to be a grand memorial to the Scots killed in the Napoleonic Wars. It was to be a facsimile of the Parthenon in Athens, and would have functioned as a church. The collection of subscriptions began in 1822, and C. R. Cockerell and William H. Playfair were employed to work on the project. Funds were exhausted by 1829, and the monument has remained unfinished, leading to it sometimes being referred to as 'Edinburgh's disgrace'.

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Related subjects

Architecture > Monuments > Memorial monuments

Places > Edinburgh areas > Calton Hill

Places > Scotland > Edinburgh

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