When traveling to the UK, Edinburgh, as the second largest tourist city in the UK, is a must-visit destination.
Since the 15th century, Edinburg has been the capital of Scotland. It has a very long history. Many Victorian buildings have been well preserved. In this city, there is always a feeling of passing by history.
When you come to Edinburgh, you are stepping onto the land of Scotland .
Let’s first look at a complete map of the United Kingdom. The United Kingdom is divided into England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Scotland where Edinburgh is located was historically an independent kingdom . It was occupied and ruled by England for hundreds of years. In order to oppose the occupation of England, it launched two wars of independence. In 1707, it was merged into Great Britain by the Kingdom of England. kingdom .
Scotland once hoped to be independent from the United Kingdom. On September 18, 2014, Scotland held a referendum. In the end, about 55% of voters voted against independence. Therefore, the United Kingdom will remain unified.
Although Scotland is under the jurisdiction of the United Kingdom in matters such as foreign affairs, military, finance, and macroeconomic policy, it has a large degree of autonomy in internal legislation and administrative management. Seeing this, are you also a little surprised by the diversity of Western regimes?
In Scotland, there is also a famous unique culture - Scottish plaid skirt .
The history of kilt (Kilt) can be traced back to the 16th century.
Kilt The word comes from Old Norse and means a piece of clothing folded around the body.
It was originally a garment worn by the Scottish Highlanders. Its original form was an uncut piece of fabric over 1.5 meters wide and 6 meters long, folded and wrapped around the body, and fixed with a belt around the waist. In order to cope with the rainy and cold weather, there is also the practice of soaking the fabric with goose oil to achieve a waterproof effect. This outfit is ideally suited to the climate and terrain of the Highlands. The shape of the lower body is similar to the current kilt. It is more comfortable than pants and can move freely. The upper body can be used as a cloak to keep out the cold, and the belt can be opened as a blanket.
After the 19th century, this traditional costume of the Highlanders was gradually accepted by the underground people and became a symbol of Scotland's national characteristics.
Scottish men's dresses are all skirts, and according to custom, they usually wear skirts instead of underwear.
Historically, Wallace and his Scottish rebels, who were wearing kilts, lifted up their skirts and pointed their buttocks at the English army who was about to go to war as a sign of humiliation - this scene can be regarded as Scotland's unique personality A vivid display~~
It is said that Prince Philip wore a Scottish plaid skirt and underwear and was accused by the whole British people of disrespecting the plaid skirt culture.
After briefly introducing Scotland, let’s return to Edinburgh.
The urban area of Edinburgh (Edinburgh) is divided into two parts by Princes Street Garden. The old city is in the south and the new city is in the north. The new and old cities are both listed as world heritage sites . Edinburgh's main financial industry is now very developed and it is the largest financial center in the UK outside London.
Because many buildings in Edinburgh are made from nearby quarries, the stone contains asphalt, and the white stone will turn black over time. Therefore, when you are in Edinburgh, you feel like you are in a mythical world full of magic.
Historically, Scotland has experienced the Black Death plague. Many patients were quarantined and left to die. Edinburgh is also known as a ghost town. Tourists can sign up for an adventure group online to visit the underground Old City of Edinburgh at night.
Next, let me introduce to you in detail some places worth visiting in Edinburgh.
Edinburgh Airport is not far from the city center, about 14 kilometers away. You can take a bus to the city center; Edinburgh's main train station is also in the city center, making travel very convenient.
Like most cities in the UK, Edinburgh's attractions are relatively concentrated and can basically be reached on foot.I simply marked a few distances on the map so that you can feel the distance between various attractions.
Edinburgh Castle (Edinburgh Castle)
Edinburgh Castle is a symbol of the Scottish spirit, 400 years earlier than Windsor Castle . It has experienced many Scottish wars and has been a military fortress since ancient times.
The construction of the castle can be traced back to the time of David I in the 12th century. There is still a building from that period in the castle: the Chapel of St. Margaret.
There was a time when the royal family lived here for generations. From the 16th century, Edinburgh Castle gradually served only as a military fortress and prison. Until 1633, the function of the royal residence was completely replaced by the Palace of Holyroodhouse, located at the end of the Royal Mile.
The more distinctive visiting spots in the castle are as follows:
1. The cannons beside the city wall. Different cannons have different functions. Every day at 1 p.m., an empty cannon is fired here to tell the time. Standing next to the fort, you can overlook the scenery below the castle.
2. National War Museum, which displays simulated cannons, officer costumes and military ranks of various eras, etc.
3. St Margaret's Chapel is the oldest existing building in Edinburgh.
4. In the Royal Palace, you can see the Scottish crown, sword, scepter, royal family tree and other items, as well as the authentic "Stone of Destiny", which is the cornerstone of the king's accession to the throne.
5. The Edinburgh Military Tattoo is held every August. The Royal British Military Band plays Scottish bagpipes and there is a spectacular fireworks show. Tickets need to be booked in advance.
Princes Street Gardens
Coming out of the castle is Princes Street Gardens.
There is a particularly large lawn here. The symbol of the garden is the Scott Memorial Tower . This was built in memory of Walter Scott, the "father of historical novels" in Scotland. It was built in 1844 in August 1846. Officially unveiled on the 15th.
The memorial tower is 61.11 meters high. It adopts the Victorian Gothic architectural style as a whole. Four small spiers guard the central tower. There are arches on all sides of the bottom of the tower. There is a white marble statue of Scott in the center of the tower.
The Tower is on the edge of Princes Street Gardens and is also the dividing line between the New City and the Old City of Edinburgh.
National Gallery of Scotland
Next to the Scott Memorial Tower is the National Gallery of Scotland.
The museum was completed and opened in 1859. It is Scotland's top art museum, with more than one million tourists visiting it every year. It brings together a series of outstanding European artworks from the Renaissance to the end of the 19th century, including works by Titian, Van Gogh, Raphael and Monet, as well as a large number of Scottish art masterpieces.
St. Giles' Cathedral (St. Giles' Cathedral)
St. Giles' Cathedral is just next to the art gallery. It is a place of worship for the Scottish Presbyterian Church, the main church of Edinburgh, and the national church of Scotland.
The top of the church is a unique Scottish crown structure , which is very distinctive.
Bank of Scotland (Bank of Scotland)
There is a beautiful green-roofed building next to the church, which is the headquarters of Bank of Scotland .
The Bank of Scotland has a history dating back to the 17th century. It is the second oldest continuously operating bank in the United Kingdom (the first is the Bank of England). The Bank of Scotland is also the only outstanding bank created by an Act of the Scottish Parliament. The Bank of Scotland was also the first bank in Europe to print its own banknotes. There is a currency museum in the bank's annex building, where you can learn about Scotland's currency and banking history.
National Museum of Scotland (National Museum of Scotland)
In particular, I would like to introduce the National Museum of Scotland.
The National Museum of Scotland was formed by the merger of the original Museum of Scotland and The Royal Museum of Scotland. It is considered to be one of the finest buildings in Scotland in the 20th century.
Although the exterior is in the traditional Gothic architectural style, the interior of the museum is very distinctive.
This is not a traditional museum. It has a variety of themed collections. The exhibits range from species specimens collected by Darwin to mummies from 3,000 years ago, including nature, art, design, technology, and cultures from around the world. It is very complex and exciting. .
The specimen of Dolly the sheep, the first cloned mammal, is also a highlight in the museum.
Greyfriars Bobby Memorial
Not far from the museum, there is the Greyfriars Bobby Memorial. This monument is not big in physical form, but it records a touching story.
This Scottish Skye spaniel kept guarding the grave of his master for 14 years in the second half of the 19th century. After the death of his master, he stayed at the tomb for 14 years until the day he died.
The Elephant House
Another special thing about Edinburgh is that it is the "birthplace" of "Harry Potter".
The impoverished J.K. Rowling and her infant daughter came here from London. She often pushed her stroller to the Elephant Cafe near her apartment to warm herself while creating, "Harry" Potter" was born here.
So, strictly speaking, "Harry Potter" was born in the Elephant Cafe. Friends who come to Edinburgh can have a cup of coffee here and feel the magical power of the wizarding world.
Royal Mile
The Royal Mile is the most famous street in Edinburgh's Old Town, about a mile long. Both ends of the avenue connect the two major focal points of Scottish history: Edinburgh Castle and the Palace of Holyroodhouse.
Looking east, you can see the sea level in the distance
There is a story about the origin of the name of this road: In the 16th century, the king used this road to travel between Edinburgh Castle and his palace at Holyrood. Palace, so this road was given the noble name of "Royal Mile".
This beautiful cobbled street contains Edinburgh's main tourist attractions, restaurants and shops on both sides.
There are many interesting art displays on the roadside.
Walking on the Royal Mile, you will find ancient and vicissitudes of buildings and modern shops arranged together without any sense of contradiction.
Palace of Holyroodhouse
At the end of the Royal Mile, we arrived at the Palace of Holyroodhouse.
The documentary " The Queen's Palace " produced by the BBC talks about the three most beautiful palaces in the UK, one is Buckingham Palace , the other is Windsor Castle , and the other is Palace of Holyroodhouse . These three palaces have always been A residence used by the royal family.
This is the official residence of the royal family in Scotland and the Queen's summer residence in Scotland. Built by James V in 1498, it is a very traditional castle-style European palace building.
When the golden flag is raised in the palace, it means that the royal family is visiting and the tour will be closed. If you have plans to visit, you need to check the opening hours in advance.
Holyrood Abbey stands next to Holyrood Palace. It was once one of the largest medieval monasteries in Scotland, but now only ruins remain.
Holyrood Park
Holyrood Park is just behind the Holyrood Palace, to the east to be exact.
This used to be the hunting ground of the King of Scotland, covering an area of 263 hectares. There are many hills, lakes, canyons and basalt cliffs, providing people with a spectacular highland landscape.
King Arthur's Seat
King Arthur's Seat is a mountain peak located in Holyrood Park. It is an extinct volcanic rock from the Carboniferous Period (about 350 million years ago). It is said that its name comes from Britain King Arthur, who has been circulating on the island for a long time legend.
This is the highest point in Edinburgh. You can have a panoramic view of Edinburgh from the mountain. Its name comes from the long-standing legend of King Arthur on the British Isles.
Calton Hill
Finally, we go to Calton Hill.
Carlton Hill is to the west of the Palace of Holyroodhouse.
Jay Chou The MV filming location for "Obviously" was actually shot on the top of the mountain here.
"The castle keeps secrets for love, and I keep memories for you"
This is a great place to watch the sunset. On the other side of the top of the mountain is Edinburgh Castle, and you can have an unobstructed view of Princes Street from here.
overlooking the whole of Edinburgh from the top of the mountain is very shocking.
There are several scenic spots worth visiting on Carlton Mountain:
. National Monument
This was built to commemorate the soldiers who died in the Napoleonic Wars. Although it has not been completed, these pillars are It has become a unique landscape on Carlton Mountain. Taking pictures here can easily give you the feeling of a large area.
. Nelson's Monument
When the cannon is fired at Edinburgh Castle at 1 pm every day, the small ball on the top of the tower will lower. Climbing the tower gives you a 360-degree view of Edinburgh. Tickets are £5.
At this point, we have introduced several well-known attractions in Edinburgh.
Of course, many tourists go to the Scottish Highlands, Loch Ness and nearby characteristic towns, all starting from Edinburgh.
Let’s take a few photos first. The next article will focus on the surrounding areas of Edinburgh.
See you next time~
