Royal Circus and New Town, Edinburgh, aerial view

Category

Library Item

Item no

14937

Title

Royal Circus and New Town, Edinburgh, aerial view

Description

This aerial view shows the elegant design of Royal Circus and the Georgian New Town including Queen Street Gardens. Princes Street Gardens separating Old and New Towns can be seen in the distance.

Artist / maker

Unknown

Date

1982

Size

20.3 x 24.9 cm

Type

Photograph

Location

Edinburgh and Scottish Collection

Royal Circus is situated roughly half a mile north of Princes Street. Along with the adjacent North West Circle Place it was designed by W. H. Playfair and built in the early 1820's.

Edinburgh's New Town, which lies to the north of the Old Town, was designed by James Craig. Craig was the winner of a design competition held in 1766 which invited contestants to submit plans for the city's northward expansion. This expansion had become necessary due to terrible overcrowding in the Old Town. Based on a regular geometric scheme around the three streets of Princes Street, George Street and Queen Street the New Town continued to be developed until 1830. It has now been classed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Copyright Historic Environment Scotland, Aerofilms collection
Find out more information at Historic Environment Scotland.

View a map of the New Town

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Related subjects

Landscape > Landscape architectural facilities > Gardens

Places > Edinburgh areas > New Town

Places > Edinburgh areas > Old Town

Places > Scotland > Edinburgh

Transport > Infrastructure > Streets