Edinburgh History
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Travel Tips for History of Edinburgh
Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom
Must see the Edinburgh Festival and check out the Castle - awesome history
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Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom
EDINBURGH CASTLE
Castle Rock is where Edinburgh began. Much damaged and often changing hands in the long and punishing wars of independence against England, Edinburgh Castle began to assume its present appearance in 1356.
In the fifteenth century King James III began using the Castle as an ordnance factory - which must have dramatically reduced its desirability as a residence! It was sacked for the last time in 1573, falling to the English after Mary Queen of Scots was brought down. (Her son, King James IV, was born in Edinburgh Castle. He later reunited the crowns of Scotland and England as James VI of Scotland and I of England.
Repaired and strengthened, the Castle became an even more formidable fortress, resisting all major assaults until 1745.
In 1753 began the construction of the esplanade, the ceremonial parade ground in front of the Castle where the Tattoo now takes place. Sixty years later the esplanade was broadened and prettified with walls and railings, the Castle's function as a fortress had ended.
The Castle remains the headquarters of the 52nd Infantry Brigade and houses several regimental headquarters. It is home to a number of military museums and contains the Scottish National War Memorial.
Members of the Royal Artillery fire the famous one O'Clock gun at Edinburgh Castle. It is Britain's second most popular tourist attraction and rises magnificently each year to the occasion of the Tattoo. All its atmosphere, power and majesty affirm that this was the proudest and mightiest fortress in the land, a residence and stronghold of kings.
Castle Rock is where Edinburgh began. Much damaged and often changing hands in the long and punishing wars of independence against England, Edinburgh Castle began to assume its present appearance in 1356.
In the fifteenth century King James III began using the Castle as an ordnance factory - which must have dramatically reduced its desirability as a residence! It was sacked for the last time in 1573, falling to the English after Mary Queen of Scots was brought down. (Her son, King James IV, was born in Edinburgh Castle. He later reunited the crowns of Scotland and England as James VI of Scotland and I of England.
Repaired and strengthened, the Castle became an even more formidable fortress, resisting all major assaults until 1745.
In 1753 began the construction of the esplanade, the ceremonial parade ground in front of the Castle where the Tattoo now takes place. Sixty years later the esplanade was broadened and prettified with walls and railings, the Castle's function as a fortress had ended.
The Castle remains the headquarters of the 52nd Infantry Brigade and houses several regimental headquarters. It is home to a number of military museums and contains the Scottish National War Memorial.
Members of the Royal Artillery fire the famous one O'Clock gun at Edinburgh Castle. It is Britain's second most popular tourist attraction and rises magnificently each year to the occasion of the Tattoo. All its atmosphere, power and majesty affirm that this was the proudest and mightiest fortress in the land, a residence and stronghold of kings.
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Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom
BURN'S NIGHT
Each year on January 25, the great man's presumed birthday, Scots everywhere take time out to honour a national icon. Whether it's a full-blown Burns Supper or a quiet night of reading poetry, Burns Night is a night for all Scots.
Burns Night Supper
The Burns Supper is an institution of Scottish life, a night to celebrate the life and genius of the national Bard. Suppers can be everything from an informal gathering of friends to a huge, formal dinner full of pomp and circumstance. This running order covers all the key elements you need to plan and structure a Burns Supper that suits your intentions. For more info:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/scotland/hi story/burnsnight/suppers/index.sh tml
Who was Robert Burns then?
Robert Burns was born on January 25, 1759 in the village of Alloway near Ayr. He came from a relatively poor, tenant-farmer background, although he received a good education and read avidly as a youngster. It is during his years as a teenager and young man working on farms that he developed some of the passions that would colour the rest of his life - poetry, nature, women and drink.
Fame, but not necessarily fortune, followed in the wake of Burns’s first publication: "Poems, Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect" (Kilmarnock Edition). The collection contains many of his best loved poems, including "The Cotter’s Saturday Night", "To a Mouse" and "To a Louse".
Burns’s poetry at this time chopped and changed between English and Scots and this perhaps reflected his own ambivalent feelings towards the Edinburgh bourgeoisie. It was on his return to farming near Dumfries in 1788 that he penned his masterpiece in the Scots vernacular, "Tam O’Shanter" (1790).
In 1795 he sent his publisher "For a’ that and a’ that", a song which vocalised his support for the political radicalism which was beginning to infiltrate British society, especially through Thomas Paine’s controversial work, "The Rights of Man".
The Bard should always be seen in his national context: as the champion of the underdog in an underdog country.
Each year on January 25, the great man's presumed birthday, Scots everywhere take time out to honour a national icon. Whether it's a full-blown Burns Supper or a quiet night of reading poetry, Burns Night is a night for all Scots.
Burns Night Supper
The Burns Supper is an institution of Scottish life, a night to celebrate the life and genius of the national Bard. Suppers can be everything from an informal gathering of friends to a huge, formal dinner full of pomp and circumstance. This running order covers all the key elements you need to plan and structure a Burns Supper that suits your intentions. For more info:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/scotland/hi story/burnsnight/suppers/index.sh tml
Who was Robert Burns then?
Robert Burns was born on January 25, 1759 in the village of Alloway near Ayr. He came from a relatively poor, tenant-farmer background, although he received a good education and read avidly as a youngster. It is during his years as a teenager and young man working on farms that he developed some of the passions that would colour the rest of his life - poetry, nature, women and drink.
Fame, but not necessarily fortune, followed in the wake of Burns’s first publication: "Poems, Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect" (Kilmarnock Edition). The collection contains many of his best loved poems, including "The Cotter’s Saturday Night", "To a Mouse" and "To a Louse".
Burns’s poetry at this time chopped and changed between English and Scots and this perhaps reflected his own ambivalent feelings towards the Edinburgh bourgeoisie. It was on his return to farming near Dumfries in 1788 that he penned his masterpiece in the Scots vernacular, "Tam O’Shanter" (1790).
In 1795 he sent his publisher "For a’ that and a’ that", a song which vocalised his support for the political radicalism which was beginning to infiltrate British society, especially through Thomas Paine’s controversial work, "The Rights of Man".
The Bard should always be seen in his national context: as the champion of the underdog in an underdog country.
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Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom
edinburgh is one of my all time favorite places in the world. its the perfect mix of history and modernity. the royal mile is incredible. with pubs standing from centuries ago, haunted buildings, traditional kilt makers and castles, the royal (also known as the old) mile is cobbled and crowded and but never to be missed. i can attest to Brodey's hostel. very international and friendly and safe. perfect for a single female should you be traveling alone like i was. its also close to the world's end pub. its one of the oldest pubs in edinburgh. amazing traditional scottish fare, friendly and warm with both locals and tourists. located at the far end of the royal mile in edinburgh it truly was the end of the world. it was the outskirts of the city and the city itself used to be the outskirts of what was thought of as civility in scotland before you went into the so called 'barbarous' highlands. the new mile is across the river and is as modern and fast paced as the royal mile is meandering and historic. i cant sing edinburgh's praises loud enough, or the highlands either.
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Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom
Take your time visiting the Fort as it is such an amazing place to see, so much history happened there.
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