Old Town from Princes Street Gardens

Category

Library Item

Item no

7657

Title

Old Town from Princes Street Gardens

Artist / maker

Unknown

Date

1858

Size

23.1 x 23.9 cm

Type

Photograph

Location

Edinburgh and Scottish Collection

Cockburn Street was constructed in the late 1850's to provide better access to Waverley Station from the Old Town and south of Edinburgh.

'Old Town' is the general name given to the original mediaeval centre of Edinburgh. It consists principally of the Royal Mile and the streets and closes leading from it, including those previously part of the separate burgh of Canongate. It also includes the Cowgate and the Grassmarket. The restricted size of the Old Town necessitated the construction of multi-storey 'lands' from the 1500's onwards, many of which still exist today. Eventually chronic overcrowding led to expansion of the city northwards past the Nor' Loch and southwards beyond the Flodden Wall. The Old Town area has now been classed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

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Related subjects

Landscape > Landscape architectural facilities > Parks

Places > Edinburgh areas > Old Town

Places > Edinburgh Landmarks > Princes Street Gardens

Places > Scotland > Edinburgh

Transport > Infrastructure > Railway

Transport > Infrastructure > Railway bridges

Transport > Land > Trains

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