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Tuesday, 26 May 2009 |
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Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, is divided into areas that generally encompass a park (sometimes known as "links"), a main local street (i.e. street of local retail shops), a high street (the historic main street, not always the same as the main local street, such as in Corstorphine) and residential buildings. In Edinburgh many residences are tenements, although the more southern and western parts of the city have traditionally been more affluent and have a greater number of detached and semi-detached villas.
The historic centre of Edinburgh is divided into two by the broad green swath of Princes Street Gardens. To the south the view is dominated by Edinburgh Castle, perched atop the extinct volcanic crag, and the long sweep of the Old Town trailing after it along the ridge. To the north lies Princes Street and the New Town. The gardens were begun in 1816 on bogland which had once been the Nor Loch.
To the immediate west of the castle lies the financial district, housing insurance and banking buildings. Probably the most noticeable building here is the circular sandstone building that is the Edinburgh International Conference Centre. |
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 26 May 2009 )
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Read more... [Areas of Edinburgh]
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Tuesday, 26 May 2009 |
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Edinburgh has a long literary tradition, going back to the Scottish Enlightenment. Edinburgh's Enlightenment produced philosopher David Hume and the pioneer of political economy, Adam Smith. Writers such as James Boswell, Robert Louis Stevenson, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and Sir Walter Scott all lived and worked in Edinburgh. J K Rowling, author of the Harry Potter novels, is a resident of Edinburgh. Edinburgh has also become associated with the crime novels of Ian Rankin; and the work of Leith native Irvine Welsh, whose novels are mostly set in the city and are often written in colloquial Scots. Edinburgh is also home to Alexander McCall Smith and a number of his book series. Edinburgh has also been declared the first UNESCO City of Literature. |
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 26 May 2009 )
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Written by Administrator
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Tuesday, 26 May 2009 |
The Scotland national rugby union team plays at Murrayfield Stadium, which is owned by the Scottish Rugby Union and is also used as a venue for other events, including music concerts. Edinburgh's professional rugby team, Edinburgh Rugby, play in the Celtic League at Murrayfield. It is the largest capacity stadium in Scotland. Raeburn Place is notable for holding the first rugby international game between Scotland and England.
Murrayfield Stadium, due to its size, the surrounding green space, and its reasonable proximity to the city centre, has been chosen as the host of the 2009 Super League Magic Weekend ahead of the previous host, the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff.
The Scottish cricket team, who represent Scotland at cricket internationally and in the C&G Trophy, play their home matches at The Grange. |
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 26 May 2009 )
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Read more... [Sport in Edinburgh]
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Tuesday, 26 May 2009 |
Edinburgh Airport is the principal international gateway to the city, handling almost 9 million passengers in 2008. In anticipation of rising passenger numbers, the airport operator BAA outlined a draft masterplan in 2006 to provide for the expansion of the airfield and terminal building. The possibility of building a second runway to cope with an increased number of aircraft movements has also been mooted.
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 26 May 2009 )
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Read more... [Transport]
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Tuesday, 26 May 2009 |
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The City of Edinburgh has entered into 11 international twinning arrangements since 1954. Most of the arrangements are styled as 'Twin Cities', but the agreement with Kraków is designated as a 'Partner City'. The agreement with the Kyoto Prefecture, concluded in 1994, is officially styled as a 'Friendship Link', reflecting its status as the only region to be twinned with Edinburgh. |
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 26 May 2009 )
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Written by Administrator
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Tuesday, 26 May 2009 |
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Famous authors of the city include Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the creator of Sherlock Holmes, Ian Rankin, author of the Inspector Rebus series of crime thrillers, J. K. Rowling, the author of Harry Potter, who wrote her first book in an Edinburgh coffee shop (Nicolson's Cafe, the Elephant House and Black Medicine), Adam Smith, economist, born in Kirkcaldy, and author of The Wealth of Nations, Walter Scott, the author of famous titles such as Rob Roy and Ivanhoe, Robert Louis Stevenson, creator of Treasure Island and the Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. |
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 26 May 2009 )
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Read more... [Notable residents of Edinburgh]
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Tuesday, 26 May 2009 |
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Hospitals in Edinburgh include the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, which includes Edinburgh University Medical School, and the Western General Hospital, which includes a large cancer treatment centre. There is one private hospital, Murrayfield Hospital, owned by Spire Healthcare. The Royal Infirmary is the main Accident & Emergency hospital not just for Edinburgh but also Midlothian and East Lothian, and is the headquarters of NHS Lothian, making it a centric focus for Edinburgh and its hinterland. The Royal Edinburgh Hospital specialises in mental health, it is situated in Morningside. The Royal Hospital for Sick Children is located in Sciennes Road; it is popularly known as the 'Sick Kids'. |
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Written by Administrator
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Tuesday, 26 May 2009 |
Edinburgh is Scotland's capital city and the world's Festival City. Over the peak festival period in the summer, its population doubles as it plays host to hundreds of thousands of visitors and performers from all over the world.
The huge range and number of artistic events, performances and exhibitions happening throughout the city makes a trip to Edinburgh an unforgettable experience. It makes you feel that there is always something else happening around the corner which you might be missing. There is; and you are. This is inevitable, part of the joy of the Festival.
It can be hard to know which way to look in a city this beautiful; Edinburgh features breathtaking natural landscapes as well as some of the world's most spectacular architecture - including four castles and 160 public monuments.
Calton Hill, with its panoramic views and its unfinished acropolis, towers over the east end of Princes Street, a short walk from Waverley station; a little way to the south, Holyrood Park's six hundred and fifty acres of wilderness stretch from the new Scottish Parliament buildings and the Palace of Holyrood, at the foot of the Royal Mile, up to Arthur's Seat - a craggy, glacier-carved remnant of the city's distant volcanic past.
At the top of the Royal Mile, on another volcanic peak, stands Edinburgh Castle, with views across the whole city |
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Visit Edinburgh 
