National Gallery of Scotland and Edinburgh Castle

Category

Museums & Galleries Item

Item no

11539

Title

National Gallery of Scotland and Edinburgh Castle from East Princes Street Gardens

Description

A view across Princes Street gardens towards the National Gallery and Edinburgh Castle. The gardens, lawns, paths and flower beds are visible. In the foreground is a section of stone staircase leading down into the gardens.

Artist / maker

Begbie, Thomas

Date

1887

Size

8.3 x 17.1 cm

Type

Glass negative

Location

City Art Centre

Copyright

The Cavaye Collection of Thomas Begbie Prints ; The City of Edinburgh Council Museums & Galleries

The National Gallery is situated at the foot of the Mound immediately behind the Royal Scottish Academy. W. H. Playfair was the architect for both buildings. The National Gallery's foundation stone was laid by Prince Albert in 1850 and construction was completed in 1854, 28 years after the Academy. It houses Scotland's largest and most important collection of paintings and sculpture from the Renaissance through to the late 19th century. The building is now linked underground to the Royal Scottish Academy.

Edinburgh Castle is perhaps the city's most famous landmark. It stands on top of the remaining core of an extinct volcano. Excavations suggest the site was inhabited by Bronze Age man as early as 900 BC, and was fortified by Iron Age man roughly 2000 years ago. The oldest part of the present day Castle is St Margaret's Chapel, built in the early 12th century. The Castle holds the Honours of Scotland and more recently has welcomed back the Stone of Scone otherwise known as the Stone of Destiny.

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Related subjects

Homes > Residential buildings > Castles and palaces

Landscape > Landscape architectural facilities > Gardens

Places > Edinburgh areas > Princes Street

Places > Scotland > Edinburgh

Plants > Trees > Trees

Sport and leisure > Culture > Galleries

Transport > Infrastructure > Steps

Transport > Infrastructure > Trails and paths

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