Edinburgh Attractions and
Tourism
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Edinburgh -
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Edinburgh Castle
This is
Scotland's most famous tourist attraction.
The castle has had a rich and colourful history, withstanding numerous attacks from
Oliver Cromwell's Roundheads in 1650, and
William and Mary's army in 1689. It was also the birthplace of
James VI of Scotland (who became
James I of England in 1603), who was born to
Mary Queen of Scots in a tiny room in the
Royal Residence in 1566. It became the main castle of Scotland's monarchs in the
Middle Ages; the buildings within the fortress include a
12th century chapel - Edinburgh's oldest building- and the
Great Hall, completed in 1511.
Today, from its perch on top of an extinct volcano, it is home to the
National War Museum of Scotland, hosts the
Edinburgh Military Tattoo every August, and is still an active army base. In
1996, after 800 years in
England, the
Stone of Destiny (the coronation stone of
Scottish monarchs) was returned to Edinburgh Castle. It and the
Honours of Scotland (the
Scottish Crown Jewels) are on display there, as is
Mons Meg, a giant siege gun given to
James II in 1457. The view from the battlements provides a splendid panorama of the city.
Opening Times: Daily 0930-1800 (Apr-Sep); daily 0930-1700 (Oct-Mar).
Admission Fees:
Yes.
Disabled
Access: Yes
Unesco:
No
Address:
Castlehill, Edinburgh,
United Kingdom
Edinburgh Zoo
Founded in 1913 by the
Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, Edinburgh Zoo is one of the most significant zoos in
Europe. It is Scotland's most popular wildlife attraction, with over 1,
000 animals, including the
UK's only koalas. Set in 32 hectares (80 acres) of beautiful parkland on the slopes of
Corstorphine Hill, with stunning views of the surrounding countryside, the zoo is famous for its newest arrivals, two giant pandas from
China, the first pair to live in the UK for 17 years. It also boasts the world's largest chimpanzee enclosure and the biggest penguin pool, which is home to the largest colony of penguins in Europe. As well as animals, there are many other attractions, such as the Budongo
Trail,
Rainbow Landings, African
Plains Experience and the Hilltop
Safari Tour.
Opening Times: Daily 0900-1800 (Apr-Sep); daily 0900-1700 (Oct and Mar); daily 0900-1630 (Nov-Feb).
Admission Fees: Yes
Disabled Access: Yes
Unesco: No
Address: 134
Corstorphine Road,
Edinburgh, United Kingdom
National Galleries of Scotland
Scotland's national art collection is held by the
National Galleries of Scotland and is displayed across three locations in Edinburgh: the
National Gallery Complex, the
Scottish National Portrait Gallery and the
Modern Art Galleries.
The Scottish National Gallery, on the corner of
Princes Street and the
Mound, houses the world's most comprehensive collection of
Scottish art, with many works by 18th- and
19th-century Scottish painters such as
Ramsay, Raeburn,
Wilkie and Guthrie. Its permanent collection also features work by Europe's great masters, including
Titian,
El Greco,
Van Gogh,
Monet and
Gauguin. Temporary exhibitions are held in the
Royal Scottish Academy building, physically connected to the National Gallery by the underground
Weston Link.
The national collection of modern and contemporary art is displayed at the Modern Art Galleries, on Belford Road. The Scottish National
Gallery of Modern Art, set in a sculpture park dominated by a dramatic landform work, has probably the world's most extensive collection of
20th-century Scottish art, featuring paintings by the
Scottish Colourists (Peploe, Fergusson, Cadell and
Hunter) and '
New Glasgow Boys' such as
Peter Howson and
Ken Currie.
The gallery also has superb holdings of expressionist and modern
British art, including works by
Francis Bacon and
Lucian Freud. Modern Art Two (formerly the
Dean Gallery) across the road houses works gifted by the Edinburgh-born sculptor
Eduardo Paolozzi; it also has a world-class
Dada and
Surrealism collection.
The Scottish National
Portrait Gallery at 1
Queen Street was the first purpose-built portrait gallery in the world when it opened in 1889.
Portraits are displayed under the historical themes
Reformation,
Enlightenment,
Empire, Modernity as well as
Contemporary. The collection includes over 3,000 paintings, 25,000 works on paper and 38,000 photographs; among these are many newly commissioned photos.
Opening Times: Daily 1000-1700.
Admission Fees: No.
Disabled Access: Yes
Unesco: No
Address: United Kingdom
- published: 15 Nov 2013
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