Royal Exchange, High Street

Category

Library Item

Item no

18660

Title

Royal Exchange, High Street [City Chambers]

Description

The Royal Exchange in Edinburgh has an arcaded walkway. There is sculpted stonework showing the city coat of arms on the pediment which is above columns. Men with top hats and frock coats and women with bonnets and parasols walk around the courtyard from which stairs lead down to a signposted coffee shop.

Artist / maker

Shepherd, Thomas Hosmer

Engraver

Watkins, W

Date

1829

Size

10.2 x 15.0 cm

Type

Engraving

Location

Edinburgh and Scottish Collection

This image comes from 'Modern Athens', a book of engravings based on drawings by Thomas Shepherd published in 1829. In the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries Edinburgh was growing rapidly. The popular neoclassical architectural style of the time was inspired by the ancient Greeks and Romans, and Edinburgh was nicknamed 'Athens of the North'. Shepherd's engravings celebrate the beauty of Edinburgh and show many notable buildings and streets both within the city, and further afield.

City Chambers was designed by John Adam and built between 1753-61. It was intended as premises for a merchant exchange, but this was not entirely successful and the building was overtaken by Edinburgh Council during the 19th century. The council instigated significant extensions to the building in the years around 1900. The building was constructed over several Old Town closes. One of these subterranean streets, Mary King's Close, is now open to the public.

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Related subjects

Architecture > Architectural features > Arcades (Architectural components)

Architecture > Architectural features > Arches

Architecture > Architectural features > Doors and doorways

Architecture > Architectural features > Quadrangles (Courtyards)

Architecture > Architectural features > Windows

Business > Service industry > Merchant's exchanges

Clothing and dress > Accessories > Hats

Clothing and dress > Garments > Dresses

Clothing and dress > Garments > Jacket

Clothing and dress > Garments > Trousers

Furnishings > Ornamentation > Lanterns

People > Adults > Men

People > Adults > Women

Places > Edinburgh areas > Old Town

Places > Scotland > Edinburgh

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