Edinburgh Calton Hill to Dynamic Earth

Overview 

We will start on Calton Hill which has great panoramic views of the city and is home to several important monuments and buildings. These include: the National Monument, the City Observatory, the Dugald Stewart Monument and the Nelson Monument. More details are below. 

We will then walk down past the Scottish Government Building (St Andrew's House), the Old Royal High School and the Burns Monument towards the Scottish Parliament and the Palace of Holyroodhouse, with Dynamic Earth also nearby. We will finish here. There will be numerous photographic opportunities during the day. 

The following is from Edinburgh World Heritage: https://ewh.org.uk/

The Old and New Towns of Edinburgh became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995. The site covers an area of approximately 4.5km2 and contains nearly 4,500 individual buildings as well as ancient monuments, designed landscapes, and conservation areas.

The history of Calton Hill

Calton Hill is a volcanic hill rising beyond the eastern end of Princes Street. The hill boasts a collection of some of Edinburgh’s most important monuments and offers fantastic panoramic views of the city. In the 19th century, Edinburgh was envisioned as the ‘Athens of the North’ and Calton Hill was considered Edinburgh’s version of the Athenian Acropolis, complete with classical revival architecture.

Cultural significance

Calton Hill is culturally significant for its famous view of Edinburgh, which features in several historic paintings and engravings of the city, as well as its fine collection of monuments. The most famous monument is the National Monument which was designed as a replica of the Parthenon in Athens. It was intended to commemorate the Scottish servicemen who died in the Napoleonic Wars, but was never completed, leaving just the twelve columns you see today.

Why is it important to Edinburgh?

Calton Hill embodies the contrast of urban and natural landscapes that makes Edinburgh special. It is a peaceful open-air gallery of some of Edinburgh’s most important monuments and a popular spot from which to view the city.

Key Features:

Monuments: Calton Hill is home to several neoclassical structures, including the National Monument, the City Observatory and the Dugald Stewart Monument. Calton Hill is also home to the Nelson Monument which was completed in 1816 to commemorate the death of Admiral Lord Nelson at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805.

Panoramic Views: The hill’s elevated position provides unmatched views of Edinburgh’s skyline, including iconic landmarks like the Edinburgh Castle, Arthur’s Seat, and the Old Town. It offers a unique perspective of the city’s layout, presenting views down to Leith and across the Firth of Forth.

Civic Legacy: Calton Hill and its monuments represent 19th century attempts to make Edinburgh the ‘Athens of the North’. To this day, the hill serves as a testament to Edinburgh’s aspirations for cultural, scientific, and architectural prominence.