Skip to content
Home
Favourites
0
Advanced search
Shopping cart
0
Register
Log in
Images of Edinburgh
Browse map
Area A - Z
Browse by date
Exhibitions
Current exhibition
All exhibitions
Collections
About the collections
Browse by theme
Subject A - Z
The image library for the collections of Edinburgh Libraries and Museums and Galleries
Images of Edinburgh
Browse map
Area A - Z
Browse by date
Exhibitions
Current exhibition
All exhibitions
Collections
About the collections
Browse by theme
Subject A - Z
Subject = "Princes Street"
Back to search results
Edinburgh Castle
Unknown, 1839, Wash drawing
Item
of 570
Edinburgh Castle
Edinburgh Castle
Add to favourites
Share
Item record
About this image
Related
Location
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
.
Exhibitions with this item
The Old and New Towns of Edinburgh World Heritage
Other views of this item
Related images
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
More like this
Rights and purchasing
Option
Price
Digital File
Electronic file 72 dpi JPEG
£6.10
(inc. VAT 20%)
Add
Digital File
Electronic File 300 dpi TIFF
£31.00
(inc. VAT 20%)
Add
You can view and use digital images for personal and educational use. For more information, read our
policy on image use
.
If you wish to use our images for commercial use, please
contact us
.