Undoubtedly, the Scottish Capital has a recognisable look. Encompassing centuries worth of architectural evolution, Edinburgh is the UK city with the most listed buildings. In its centre, the contrast between the medieval Old Town and Enlightenment-era New Town embodies the changes in European urban planning. The UNESCO World Heritage site was established in Edinburgh in 1995, covering 4.5 km2, and containing almost 4,500 buildings across these two areas. With such efforts displayed to preserve history, it is worth exploring the prominence and development of such buildings, which are physical accounts of the social and cultural developments of the Scottish capital.
Within the Old Town, the variety of architectural styles ranges from the medieval to the modernist. Medieval “fishbone” street patterns, characterised by narrow closes and wynds connected to the high street, exist to this day, but many of the buildings from this era do not. The most prominent of these styles is the 19th-century Scots Baronial which can be recognised by its intricacies including a “witches” hat tower and zig-zag gables.
The New Town’s Neo-Classical design is more uniform and elegant, featuring gridiron patterned streets with grand, open squares at each end. It was constructed between 1767 and 1890 following a 1766 competition for a proposal on an expansion of the city for the most wealthy, won by James Craig. Its buildings are characterised by grand townhouses and vast, exquisite gardens signifying the growing cultural and political links with mainland Europe through this elegance. This is the largest area of neo-classical eighteenth and nineteenth-century architecture in the world.
Here are some of the architectural standouts that represent the history of these areas whilst also speaking for their evolution:
Victoria Street
Designed by leading neoclassicist Thomas Hamilton, the building of Victoria Street uniquely displays an “Old Flemism” style. The street follows a whimsical curve, a creative adaptation to the city’s hilly landscape. While the majority of the 16th century buildings have been rebuilt, look out for the remaining original doorways near the bottom of the street. Of course you only need to look to Instagram to see that the Old Town street now is most notable for its brightly coloured shops and restaurants.
Riddles Court
A less well-known display of architectural excellence in the Old Town is the Grade-A-listed Riddles Court. Situated on the Royal Mile, it is a prestigious merchant’s tenement dating back to the 16th century. It was designed to be a prestigious building even hosting King James VI at a royal banquet in 1598. The Scottish Historic Building Trust has meticulously restored its intricately painted ceilings, and the working fireplaces and the bread oven cannot be found elsewhere in Edinburgh.
Charlotte Street
The finery of Georgian architecture with the New Town, reflecting the growth of Edinburgh’s elite, are exemplified in the house of Charlotte Street. The “uncommon finesse” designed by Robert Adam in 1791 is particularly pronounced in numbers 1 to 11. These townhouses have the look of unified grand palaces, having been designed in blocks, with their façades looking onto the central garden.
The National Museum of Scotland:
With the completion of its renovations in 2016, the museum’s building, spanning across 30,0002 metres, marries Old Town’s rich past with contemporary architectural phases. Its original Victorian building, designed by Robert Matheson, was opened in 1866, featuring the light, open Grand Gallery, which was inspired by London’s Crystal Palace. The modern expansion of the building is characterised by Clashach sandstone, cylindrical towers and slotted windows. Offering a fragmentary experience, this was designed to reflect the castle. This disconnect between the old and new parts of the building has been masterfully acknowledged by the glass curtain wall. Indeed, the history and evolution of Edinburgh is embodied architecturally.
Scottish Parliament
With the opening of the Scottish Parliament in 1999, Enric Maralles’ design, completed in 2004, intended to reflect a new chapter in Scottish politics. The building has been subject to much controversy because it does not reference the architectural styles that typify the city. Instead, the design was meant to reflect elements of Scottish culture, exemplified in the panels of the exterior windows, the shape of which was inspired by one of Scotland’s most recognisable paintings, Sir Henry Raeburn’s The Skating Minister, whose movement is supposedly echoed here.
“Edinburgh old town” by herrdoktorc is licensed under CC BY 2.0.