The capital of

Scotland-
Edinburgh
Prepared by Anna
Mikhalchuk,
Anastasiya Tkachuk,
Paul Malakeev
Group 202 АНФ
 Contents
 Where Edinburgh is situated
 Origin of the name “Edinburgh”
 Parts of the town (The Old Town, The New Town)
 Some facts from the history
 The highlights of Edinburgh:
 Edinburgh Castle
 The Scottish National Gallery
 Holyrood Park
 Royal Botanic Garden
 St. Giles Cathedral
 Scott Memorial
 Royal Yacht Britannia
 Edinburgh international festival
 Sources of information
 Edinburgh city lies on the east coast of Scotland, on the south bank of the Firth of Forth (the estuary that
opens into the North Sea). Geologically, the Firth of Forth is a fjord, carved by the Forth glacier at the Last
Glacial Maximum. The famous Edinburgh Castle is situated on the top of a volcanic rock intrusion which
was resistant to erosion by the ice sheet, and so stands above the surrounding area; a perfect defensive site!
The volcanic rock sheltered an area of softer bedrock from the erosive forces of advancing glaciers, creating
a “crag and tail” feature where the tail is a tapering strip of the softer rock. The Old Town runs down the
“tail” and the castle stands on the “crag”. The site of the city of Edinburgh was first named as “Castle
Rock”.

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
Origin of the name “Edinburgh”
The name “Edinburgh” is rumoured to originate from the old English of
“Edwin’s fort”, referring to the 7th century King Edwin of Northumbria
(and “burgh” means “fortress” or “walled collection of buildings”).
However, the name probably preceded King Edwin so this is unlikely
to be true. In 600 A.D. Edinburgh was referred to in the form “Din
Eidyn” or “Fort of Eidyn”, when the settlement was a Gododdin
hillfort. The city is also affectionately named by the Scottish as “Auld
Reekie” (Reekie meaning “Smoky”), referring to the pollution from
coal and wood fires that left dark smoky trails from chimneys through
the Edinburgh skies. It has also been named “Auld Greekie” or the
Athens of the North due to its topography; the Old Town plays a role
similar to that of the Athenian Acropolis.
 “Auld Greekie” also refers to Edinburgh’s role as Scotland’s
intellectual and cultural centre. While most cities expanded and
developed heavy industries during the industrial revolution, the
expansion in the Forth region happened at Leith, leaving Edinburgh
relatively untouched and confined. The history of Edinburgh has
therefore survived and guaranteed Edinburgh a title as a UNESCO
World Heritage Site (1995).
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 • Edinburgh is defined as being the Old Town
and the New Town. The New Town
developed beyond the old city walls, during a
time of social reform and prosperity after
the Jacobite rebellions. In response to
problems caused by an increasingly densely
populated Old Town (the city had remained,
until then, confined to the volcanic rock on
which it was born), expansion north was
begun. All the excess soil that was generated
from the construction of the New Town was
unloaded into the post-glacial Nor Loch,
which mounted up and has become what is
now known as The Mound.
 The Old Town, which is located along the “tail” from the crag, on which the Castle stands tall, is preserved in the
medieval street plan. It is down the tail from the castle that the famous “Royal Mile” runs. Due to the tapering of
the tail, space was a problem with an expanding population in the 1500’s. Their immediate solution (before the
expansion into the New Town, after the Jacobite rebellions) was to build high rise residential areas. Ten and
eleven story blocks were typical for these buildings but one even reached fourteen stories! The buildings were
often extended below the ground too, to accommodate immigrants to the city, which is where the legends of
Edinburgh’s “underground city” have grown from. Apparently it was the rich who resided on the upper floors of
these buildings and the poor were kept to the lower sections.

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 Some facts from the history
 Edinburgh has been the capital of Scotland since 1437, when it replaced Scone. The Scottish Parliament
resides in Edinburgh. However, in the past, Edinburgh Castle was often under English control. Before
the 10th Century, Edinburgh was under the control of the Anglo-Saxons and Danelaw. Because of this
previous Anglo-Saxon ruling, Edinburgh was often, along with the Border counties of Scotland, involved
in the disputes between the English and the Scottish. There was a long string of clashes between these
two in these regions as the English tried to claim Anglo-Saxon domains and the Scottish fought for land
to the north of Hadrian’s Wall. When in the 15th century Edinburgh had been under Scottish rule for a
significant period of time, King James IV of Scotland moved the Royal Court to Edinburgh, and the city
became the capital by proxy.

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 The highlights of Edinburgh
 As the capital of Scotland Edinburgh has it all. A magnificent city centre setting complete with castle
background, historical and cultural highlights in abundance, a vibrant nightlife and an international and
cosmopolitan buzz throughout the year.
 The best place to start is with Edinburgh Castle. Built on an extinct volcano it hovers powerfully over
the city centre and is a great day out for all the family. The original fortress was built in the 6th Century and
highlights include the Stone of Destiny upon which Scottish kings were enthroned, the fortress prisons and
the National War Museum that looks back over Scotland’s long list of military conflicts over the centuries.

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 The Scottish National Gallery

 The Scottish National Gallery is home to the large part of Scotland's collection of fine art, one of the best in the
world.
 This must be one of the finest galleries in Britain, not only for its architectural style; severely classical with the
plainness of the Doric order, but also from its very fine collection of pictures, furniture and sculpture. Here you
will find important works by Tintoretto, Titian, Poussin, Claude Lorraine, Rembrandt, Reynolds, Gainsborough,
Chardin, Antonio Canova and Turner, as well as French Impressionists, and Scottish artists.

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 Holyrood Park

 Holyrood Park is a short walk from Edinburgh’s Royal Mile in the heart of the city. It is a 640 acre Royal
Park adjacent to Holyrood Palace.
 The parks highest point is Arthurs Seat, a dormant volcano, and sits 251m above sea level giving
excellent view of the city; it is also the site of a large and well preserved fort.  This is one of four hill
forts dating from around 2000 years ago.  With its diverse range of flora and geology it is also site of
Special Scientific Interest. 
 Within the park you can also visit St Anthony’s Chapel - a 15th century medieval chapel, Salisbury
Crags – a series of 150 foot cliff faces dominating Edinburgh’s skyline as well as Duddingston Loch – a
fresh water loch rich in birdlife.

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 Royal botanic garden

 The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh is a Non Departmental Public Body established under the
National Heritage (Scotland) Act 1985, principally funded by the Scottish Executive. It is also a
registered charity, managed by a Board of Trustees who are appointed by Ministers. Its mission is to
“explore and explain the world of plants for a better future” and its primary functions are as a centre of
scientific and horticultural excellence, keeper of the national collections and promoter of science in the
public domain.
 The four Gardens - Edinburgh, Benmore, Dawyck and Logan - comprise the National Botanic Gardens
of Scotland and are numbered among the most popular visitor attractions in Scotland, bringing together
many inter-related cultural areas of activity.

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 St. Giles Cathedral

 The High Kirk of St. Giles (commonly known as St. Giles' Cathedral) is one of the most important architectural
landmarks along the Royal Mile in Edinburgh. The church where John Knox preached the Reformation, St. Giles' is
the mother church of the Church of Scotland and informally of world Presbyterianism.
 St. Giles Cathedral combines a dark and brooding stone exterior with surprisingly graceful buttresses. Inside, a major
highlight is the Thistle Chapel, designed by Robert Lorimer and finished in 1911. Some decorations have survived
from the late medieval period, including heraldic carvings, sections of tombs and memorials, and various religious
and non-religious carvings. The oldest heraldic carvings in the church are located in the Albany Aisle and date from
the early 15th century.
 St. Giles' Cathedral is an active Presbyterian church with a congregation of several hundred people. Visitors are
welcome to join the religious services. At any time, the Albany Aisle in the northwest corner of the church isContents
 Scott Memorial

 The Scott Monument is the largest monument to a writer in the world. It commemorates Sir Walter Scott.
 The Scott Monument was built to commemorate Sir Walter Scott, one of Scotland's greatest novelists. The
Foundation stone was laid on the 15th August 1840 (the anniversary of Scott's birthday) and was completed in
Autumn 1844. It is made of Binny sand-stone from West Lothian, and cost just over £16,154 . There are 287
steps to the top where there are magnificent views of Edinburgh and beyond.
 The large statue of Scott is in Italian Carrara marble was sculpted by Sir John Steell.
 There are 64 statues on the monument, mostly characters from Scott's novels, with some figures from Scottish
history. These can be viewed individually through in 'Sir Walter Scott' - characters.
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 Royal Yacht Britannia

 After an active lifetime in which she sailed over a million miles, the Royal Yacht Britannia is one of the world's best known
ships. Britannia was launched at John Brown's Shipyard in Clydebank on 16 April 1953 and she was decommissioned at
Portsmouth Naval Base on 11 December 1997 in the presence of the Queen, The Duke of Edinburgh and fourteen senior
members of The Royal Family. During the intervening 44 years she carried the Queen and the Royal Family on 968 official
voyages in almost every part of the globe.
 Britannia was the 83rd, and last, Royal Yacht in a tradition that dated back to 1660 and the gift of the Mary by the people of
Amsterdam to King Charles II. Thankfully another old tradition, of sinking Royal Yachts at sea after they had been
decommissioned, was not followed, and instead the Government invited proposals from UK cities interested in
providing Britannia with a suitable home.
 Edinburgh was the successful city, and Britannia is now owned by The Royal Yacht Britannia Trust, a charitable organization
whose sole remit is the maintenance of Britannia in keeping with her former role. Britannia is now permanently berthed at
Ocean Terminal, in Edinburgh's historic port of Leith, and visitors can now see for themselves all aspects of life
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Edinburgh international festival

 August brings The Festival and the city is buzzing with just about every type of entertainment
imaginable. From big names in the world of entertainment to unknown artists looking to build their
careers. The Royal Mile in the heart of town is always packed with tourists and street entertainers alike.
The famous Military Tattoo is not-to-be-missed. The atmosphere at this time of year is hard to match
anywhere as the city population pretty much doubles for the duration of the month.

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History of international festival
 The idea of the Festival with a remit to "provide a platform for the flowering of the
human spirit" and enrich the cultural life of Scotland, Britain and Europe took form in
the wake of the Second World War. The idea of creating an international festival within
the UK was first conceived by Rudolf Bing (pic1), the General Manager
of Glyndebourne Opera Festival, and Audrey Mildmay (wife of John Christie, pic.2)
during a wartime tour of a small-scale Glyndebourne production of The Beggar's Opera.
 Rudolf Bing co-founded the Festival with Henry Harvey Wood, Head of the British
Council in Scotland, Sidney Newman, Reid Professor of Music at Edinburgh University,
and a group of civic leaders from the City of Edinburgh, in particular Sir John Falconer.
 Bing had looked at several English cities before shifting his focus to Scotland and
settling on Edinburgh, a city he had visited and admired in 1939. Harvey Wood
described the meeting at which the idea was hatched:
“The Edinburgh International Music of Festival and Drama was first discussed over a lunch
table in a restaurant in Hanover Square, London, towards the end of 1944. Rudolf Bing,
convinced that musical and operatic festivals on anything like the pre-war scale were
unlikely to be held in any of the shattered and impoverished centres for many years to come,
was anxious to consider and investigate the possibility of staging such a Festival somewhere
in the United Kingdom in the summer of 1946. He was convinced and he convinced my
colleagues and myself that such an enterprise, successfully conducted, might at this moment
of European time, be of more than temporary significance and might establish in Britain a
centre of world resort for lovers of music, drama, opera, ballet and the graphic arts.”
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 Sources of information
 http://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryMagazine/DestinationsUK/Edinburgh/
 http://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/edinburgh/britannia/
 http://www.locomotionscotland.co.uk/capital-of-scotland-edinburgh/
 http://sites.scran.ac.uk/scottmon/pages/the_monument.htm
 http://www.sacred-destinations.com/scotland/edinburgh-st-giles-cathedral
 https://www.bgci.org/garden.php?id=78
 http://
www.visitscotland.com/info/see-do/holyrood-park-and-arthurs-seat-p914341
 http://
www.artfund.org/what-to-see/museums-and-galleries/scottish-national-gallery
 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edinburgh_International_Festival

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 Thank you
for attention!