Edinburgh Castle from East Princes Street Gardens

Category

Library Item

Item no

1946

Title

Edinburgh Castle from East Princes Street Gardens

Description

Edinburgh Castle is the backdrop for this view of the National Gallery, Royal Scottish Academy and Princes Street Gardens. The Gardens have pathways cutting through the grass lawns. A stone stairway with quatrefoils carved into the central section leads to a gravel pathway. The Assembly Hall of the Church of Scotland sits on higher ground.

Artist / maker

Unknown

Date

1867

Size

13.3 x 17 cm

Type

Photograph

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.

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. 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's Princes Street Gardens were established on the site of the Nor' Loch which was drained during the 18th century.

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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