Edinburgh Castle

Category

Library Item

Item no

1928

Title

Edinburgh Castle

Description

Edinburgh Castle overlooks a large part of the city centre. The fortification is surrounded by defensive walls some of which are crenellated. The Royal Academy, Princes Street Gardens and Princes Street can be seen in the foreground. Trees and bushes are within the Gardens. In the distance are a spire and tower.

Artist / maker

Unknown

Date

1839

Size

16 x 26.6 cm

Type

Wash drawing

Location

Edinburgh and Scottish Collection

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.

Construction of the Mound was begun in the 1760's by the tailor George Boyd to give him better access to his clients in Edinburgh's New Town from his Old Town shop. Large amounts of waste material from the development of New Town was added to 'Geordie Boyd's Mud Brig' creating a substantial link road. Further more formal development of the Mound begun in 1825 following the foundation of the Royal Institution at its foot.

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.

The Royal Scottish Academy, originally the Royal Institution, is situated at the junction of Princes Street and the Mound in Edinburgh. Completed in 1826, the building was designed by W. H. Playfair in the Greek Doric style. It was extended and improved by the same architect between 1831 - 36, and a statue of Queen Victoria was added at the front in 1844. The building is now linked underground to the National Gallery. The Academy promotes and exhibits the work of living Scottish artists.

Find out more about visiting Edinburgh Castle at Historic Environment Scotland.

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Related subjects

Homes > Residential buildings > Castles and palaces

Landscape > Landscape architectural facilities > Gardens

Places > Edinburgh areas > Old Town

Places > Edinburgh areas > Princes Street

Places > Scotland > Edinburgh

Sport and leisure > Culture > Galleries

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