Nelson Monument, Calton Hill and Sailsbury Crags

Category

Museums & Galleries Item

Item no

11650

Title

Nelson Monument, Calton Hill and Sailsbury Crags

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

Calton Hill is situated at the east end of Princes Street in Edinburgh. It rises to a height of 108 metres and is another of the city's hills created by volcanic activity. Several monuments stand on the hill. Most prominent amongst these are the Nelson Monument, built in the shape of a telescope, and the unfinished National Monument, modelled on the Parthenon in Athens.
Salisbury Crags are an igneous sill, composed of cooled magma during the period of volcanic activity and later shaped by glacial erosion. The steep cliffs of the crags provided natural defence for early human inhabitants. Traces of a stone rampart dating from the early part of the first millennium BC have been found there. More recently James Hutton's studies of the Crags led to the release in 1788 of his 'Theory of the Earth', the work which established him in the eyes of many as the father of modern geology.

Exhibitions with this item

Other views of this item

Related images

Related subjects

Architecture > Architectural features > Railings

People > Adults > Men

Places > Edinburgh Landmarks > Calton Hill

Places > Edinburgh Landmarks > Nelson Monument

Places > Edinburgh Landmarks > Salisbury Crags

Plants > Trees > Trees