Edinburgh
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Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland and has been since 1437. It is located on the eastern coast along the Firth of Forth. The Old Town grew around Edinburgh Castle and still retains historic character, while the New Town was developed in the 18th century with a grid street pattern. Edinburgh is famous for its university, which has educated notable people in fields like medicine and engineering. It also hosts an annual international arts festival and has many historic buildings and sites. Tourism is a large part of the economy in modern Edinburgh.
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Edinburgh
- 1. EDINBURGH
- 2. Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, in the UK. The city is situated on the eastern coast of Scotland, on the southern shore of Firth of Forth. It's the second most populous city in Scotland and the seventh most populous in the United Kingdom. Edinburgh has been recognised as the capital of Scotland since 1437.
- 3. Scotlands capital grew around its Old Town until the late 18th century and this area of the city still has a distinct character from the iconic castle at the top of the Royal Mile to the Grassmarket below, where public hangings formerly took place. During the Victorian era, Edinburgh earned itself a nickname as Auld Reekie due to the smoke from the steam engines and the pollution of the industrial revolution.
- 4. After nearly three centuries of unitary government, a measure of self-government returned in the shape of the Scottish Parliament. 1707 saw the Act of Union, which joined Scotland and England together politically, and moved power from Edinburgh's old parliament to London's Westminster. Living conditions were not good at this time and many wealthy residents moved to London. Eventually a competition to design a new part of the city was put in place to try to attract the wealthy back to Edinburgh. James Craig won this contest and his ideas and influences are still visible in the grid pattern of the streets of the Georgian New Town.
- 5. After 1583, the city was also a centre of educational and professional development since the world-famous university was founded. The city has long been known abroad as a centre of education, particularly in the fields of medicine, law, the sciences and engineering. The University of Edinburgh, now one of four in the city, is ranked among the world's top 20, standing today as a symbol of the knowledge and intellectual talent to be found in the city.
- 6. The city is also famous for the Edinburgh International Festival, which has grown into the biggest annual international arts festival in the world. In 2004 Edinburgh became the world's first UNESCO City of Literature. The citys historical and cultural attractions, together with an annual calendar of events aimed primarily at the tourist market, have made it the second most popular tourist destination in the United Kingdom, attracting over one million overseas visitors each year.
- 7. Edinburgh has many historic buildings, including Edinburgh Castle, Holyrood Palace, the churches of St. Giles, Greyfriars and the Canongate, and an extensive Georgian New Town built in the 18th century. Edinburghs Old Town and New Town are listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Today, Edinburgh combines both modernity and tradition. Modern architecture such as the Scottish Parliament sits alongside wonderful baroque buildings including the Palace of Holyroodhouse. The city is also home to many national institutions such as the National Museum of Scotland, the National Library of Scotland and the Scottish National Gallery.
- 8. Edinburghs economy is traditionally centred on banking and insurance but now it involves a wide range of businesses, making it the biggest financial centre in the UK after London.
- 9. Scotland's cuisine involves dairy products, fish, fruit (for example berries), and vegetables, with simple recipes and a lack of spices. Scotland is famous for its salmon. In most towns, Chinese and Indian take-away restaurants exist alongside traditional fish and chip shops. In larger towns and cities the cuisine may also include Thai, Japanese, Mexican, Pakistani, Polish and Turkish cuisines.
- 10. Scotland's cuisine involves dairy products, fish, fruit (for example berries), and vegetables, with simple recipes and a lack of spices. Scotland is famous for its salmon. In most towns, Chinese and Indian take-away restaurants exist alongside traditional fish and chip shops. In larger towns and cities the cuisine may also include Thai, Japanese, Mexican, Pakistani, Polish and Turkish cuisines.