National Monument, Edinburgh
The National Monument stands in its unfinished splendour on Calton Hill and has been called a lot of names over the years, such as 鈥淓dinburgh鈥檚 Folly鈥� or 鈥淭he Shame of Scotland鈥�, although the idea behind it was neither folly nor shame.
In fact, the idea was quite noble 鈥� to commemorate the Scottish soldiers and sailors died during the Napoleonic Wars of 1803-1815; the only problem was that, when asked for their money to be put where they mouths were, many a people lost their initial enthusiasm for the venture.
The monument was designed in 1823 by William Henry Playfair and Charles Robert Cockerell, who modelled it on the Athenian Parthenon, and right from the outset it was pretty obvious that they had set their sights a bit too high. They kept fiddling with the design and changed it repeatedly until producing a final draft in 1826.
Construction started in 1826 and saw 12 columns built along with the foundations and the inscription which happened to be rather ironic: 鈥淎 Memorial of the Past and Incentive to the Future Heroism of the Men of Scotland鈥�.
Funds finally ran out completely in 1829 and the monument you can see today hasn鈥檛 been touched ever since. Several proposals have been put forward over the years to complete it, but these plans have never materialized.
In fact, the idea was quite noble 鈥� to commemorate the Scottish soldiers and sailors died during the Napoleonic Wars of 1803-1815; the only problem was that, when asked for their money to be put where they mouths were, many a people lost their initial enthusiasm for the venture.
The monument was designed in 1823 by William Henry Playfair and Charles Robert Cockerell, who modelled it on the Athenian Parthenon, and right from the outset it was pretty obvious that they had set their sights a bit too high. They kept fiddling with the design and changed it repeatedly until producing a final draft in 1826.
Construction started in 1826 and saw 12 columns built along with the foundations and the inscription which happened to be rather ironic: 鈥淎 Memorial of the Past and Incentive to the Future Heroism of the Men of Scotland鈥�.
Funds finally ran out completely in 1829 and the monument you can see today hasn鈥檛 been touched ever since. Several proposals have been put forward over the years to complete it, but these plans have never materialized.
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National Monument on Map
Sight Name: National Monument
Sight Location: Edinburgh, Scotland (See walking tours in Edinburgh)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: Edinburgh, Scotland (See walking tours in Edinburgh)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Walking Tours in Edinburgh, Scotland
Create Your Own Walk in Edinburgh
Creating your own self-guided walk in Edinburgh is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Literary Landmarks Tour
For centuries, Edinburgh has been home to numerous writers. The likes of Robert Burns, Robert Louis Stevenson, and JK Rowling, just to name a few, have given pride to this city. Fortunately, the tradition doesn't seem to die out any time soon, as Edinburgh keeps producing more and more authors and literary heroes in whose footsteps people still wish to tread.
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Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.9 Km or 1.8 Miles
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Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.9 Km or 1.8 Miles
Harry Potter Trail
Years after the release of the last Harry Potter book and movie, the cultural phenomenon of Harry Potter doesn't seem to fade away and the fandom continues strong as ever. Although by now Harry Potter has become a household name across the globe, the fact that J.K. Rowling penned some of the world's favorite wizarding stories in Scotland's capital, where she still lives now, makes... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.6 Km or 1.6 Miles
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.6 Km or 1.6 Miles
Royal Mile Walking Tour
The Royal Mile, a steep thoroughfare in the heart of Edinburgh's Old Town, is one of the city's busiest tourist destinations. It runs down a slope, from the famed Edinburgh Castle to Holyroodhouse Palace and the ruined Holyrood Abbey, for almost exactly a mile and thus got its name, coined in 1920. The succession of streets forming the Royal Mile is lined with numerous shops, pubs,... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.6 Km or 1 Miles
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.6 Km or 1 Miles
New Town Walking Tour
Rightly regarded as the historic masterpiece of city planning, the New Town of Edinburgh has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1995. The area forms a significant part of the Scottish capital and is known for its elegant Georgian architecture, abundant shopping opportunities, and many other delights firmly associated with this city.
One of the prominent landmarks in the New Town is... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.5 Km or 1.6 Miles
One of the prominent landmarks in the New Town is... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.5 Km or 1.6 Miles
Edinburgh Introduction Walking Tour
Comfortably yet tightly packed on the hilly terrain, Edinburgh 鈥� the Scottish capital since at least the 15th century, and the seat of the Scottish Parliament since 1999 鈥� is a picturesque city renowned for its unique architecture of the medieval Old Town and elegant Georgian New Town, currently both listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. The earliest known human habitation in the area dates... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.4 Km or 2.1 Miles
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.4 Km or 2.1 Miles
Famous Squares and Streets Walking Tour
Being in Edinburgh, it is only natural to be curious about the avenues, boulevards, and streets leading to (or stemming from) the city's picturesque squares. There, you can find a copious amount of historic and religious sites, fashion stores, classy restaurants, and marketplaces, not to mention some hidden gems, exploring which is well worth the time spent.
One of Edinburgh's most... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.9 Km or 1.8 Miles
One of Edinburgh's most... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.9 Km or 1.8 Miles
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