The New Town and Princes Street

To the north, between the Castle and the Firth of Forth, the spectator has his first glimpse of Edinburgh's new town - still called that despite the fact that it was created in the eighteenth century. The New Town is by far the largest area of Georgian architecture in Europe, and the visitor should ensure that he or she takes a stroll through these gracious squares and tree-lined crescents.

This New Town, which is one of Britain's architectural gems, remains largely residential today, thus providing Edinburgh with a living heart.

By the middle of the eighteenth century Edinburgh, still confined within its defensive wall, even more congested, and building its tenements ever higher - some were early skyscrapers - was becoming decidedly unhealthy. This led the City Fathers to devise the bold and imaginative plan of a New Town. The first New Town was designed by a young architect, James Craig. Though Craig made George Street the main promenade of his architectural plan, Princes Street has always been the thoroughfare that has first caught the visitor's attention; the most obvious reason is its open outlook across the valley, now occupied by Princes Street Gardens, where there are frequent musical or other performances presented at the Ross Open-Air Theatre. Nearby is the Mound, a fairly steep hill which is an important traffic route from Princes Street up to the ridge of the Old Town, it is artificial, having been created from, it is said, two million cartloads of earth excavated during the construction of the New Town. At the time the new Mound must have been an ugly sight, and it enraged the aesthetic feelings of many Edinburgh citizens, blocking the valley as it did. Landscaping, trees and the passage of generations have muted the outcry.

At the foot of the Mound stand two important art galleries - the Royal Scottish Academy and the National Gallery of Scotland.

A little further to the east soars the famous Scott Monument, a 200 ft high Gothic tribute to the author and native son, Sir Walter Scott. There is a narrow stairway inside (a total of 287 steps in several stages), and the monument affords spectacular views of the city.

Nearby, at the junction of Waverley Bridge and Princes Street is the Waverley Market shopping centre; at street level is the City of Edinburgh Tourist Information Centre and Accommodation Bureau, where the facilities also include a self-service bookshop.

The Waverley railway station is adjacent, and immediately to the south, at 2 Market Street, is the City of Edinburgh's permanent art collection as well as regular visiting exhibitions.