Edinburgh from the Fife Coast

Category

Library Item

Item no

6618

Title

Edinburgh from the Fife Coast

Description

The Edinburgh skyline dominated by Arthur's Seat and Salisbury Crags is visible from Fife. The River Forth has a variety of sailing ships on its water. The Fife shoreline has a ship beached on the sand and people walking along a rocky pathway.

Artist / maker

Ewbank, John Wilson

Engraver

Lizars, W. H.

Date

1825

Size

19.8 x 26 cm

Type

Engraving

Location

Edinburgh and Scottish Collection

This image has been chosen for the Edinburgh - Past and Present Exhibition by the Rt Hon George Grubb, Lord Lieutenant and Lord Provost of Edinburgh - "Edinburgh's majestic and enduring skyline of hills and Castle is unmistakable in this engraving from 1825, though today's view from the Fife coast would reflect Edinburgh's 21st century role as a thriving cosmopolitan waterfront city. Thankfully, despite it's hustle and bustle, the tranquillity of Edinburgh's hills is never far away" George Grubb.
St Giles Kirk, often called St Giles Cathedral, is situated on the Royal Mile in Edinburgh. A church has stood on the site since around 1120-1140, but little remains of the 12th century structure.

The city of Edinburgh is built around seven hills, mostly volcanic in origin. It is bordered to its north by the Firth of Forth, and to its south by the Pentland Hills. Edinburgh has been Scotland's capital since the mid fifteenth century, but evidence of human habitation on the site stretches back some 7000 years. The central city is made up of the Old Town area immediately surrounding Edinburgh Castle and the Royal Mile, and the New Town to the north, an important example of eighteenth and nineteenth century Neoclassical town planning. These central areas were designated as UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 1995. Other more modern developments, from the 19th century to the present, radiate from this central area incorporating many older villages. Edinburgh attracts more tourists than any other city in the UK except London, especially during the annual festivals in August.

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Related images

Related subjects

Landscape > Land > Coastlines

Landscape > Land > Hills

Landscape > Water > Rivers and streams

Places > Scotland > Edinburgh

Transport > Water > Ships

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