Edinburgh Castle - Ross Fountain - Capital Collections

Category

Library Item

Item no

40785

Title

Edinburgh Castle and Princes Street Gardens - Ross Fountain

Artist / maker

Murphy, Bernard

Date

2009

Size

10.2 x 15.1 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.

Edinburgh's Princes Street Gardens were established on the site of the Nor' Loch which was drained during the 18th century. The park was originally for the exclusive use of the residents of Princes Street, but was opened to the public in 1876. The gardens contain various statues of notable figures, as well as the Ross Fountain and Bandstand and the famous Floral Clock.

The Ross Fountain was installed in West Princes Street Gardens in 1872. It was cast near Paris, France in the Durenne ironworks at Haute-Marne in the early 1860's. It was exhibited at the Great Exhibition in London in 1862 and was purchased for Edinburgh by Daniel Ross a local gun maker and philanthropist. The fountain has four females depicting science, the arts, poetry and industry.

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Related subjects

Homes > Residential buildings > Castles and palaces

Natural phenomena > Weather > Snow

Places > Edinburgh Landmarks > Edinburgh Castle

Places > Edinburgh Landmarks > Princes Street Gardens

Places > Scotland > Edinburgh

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