The History of Edinburgh

The Rebuilding of Edinburgh Castle

Perched on top of an extinct volcano, and offering magnificent views across the City, Edinburgh castle has observed many of the defining events of Scottish history, including the Wars of Scottish Independence. These were a series of battles fought between the Kingdom of Scotland and the Kingdom of England in the late 13th and early 14th centuries. David II, who was the son of the famous Robert the Bruce, commissioned the rebuilding of the castle in 1356 because it had fallen into disrepair. The picture to the right is of Crown Square, which currently serves as the main courtyard of Edinburgh castle.

Edinburgh University

In 1582 Edinburgh University was founded. It is still regarded as one of the most prestigious universities in the world. Many famous students have graduated from this university including legendary athlete Eric Liddell who won the gold medal for the 400 metres at the 1924 Olympics held in Paris, France.

Journey Coach

In 1652 a "journey coach" to London was introduced - alas it took two weeks to make the journey to London. Today the quickest train journey from Edinburgh to London takes around 5 hours, although there are plans to reduce this to three hours in the future.

Golf Club

In 1744 the world's first golf club (the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers) was founded. On March 7th 1744 the Edinburgh Town Council presented a silver club for annual competition by "The Gentleman Golfers", In doing so they insisted upon "proper regulations' governing conditions of play, be written. Allegedly the surgeon John Rattray won the new club's first tournament.

Despite the many claims as to golf's origins, it is generally accepted that the first properly organised Golf Club was founded in Scotland in 1744, when the"Gentlemen Golfers of Edinburgh" was formed in Edinburgh.

Greyfriars Bobby

This memorial drinking fountain commemorates Greyfriars Bobby, a Skye terrier who faithfully watched over his master's grave in nearby Greyfriars kirkyard for fourteen years. In 1961 Walt Disney Productions released a feature film based upon the story. Today a statue of Bobby can be seen at the corner of Edinburgh's Candlemaker Row and George IV Bridge.

Edinburgh Today

Today Edinburgh is a thriving, cosmopolitan city, embracing modern technology while still offering intriguing glimpses of its colourful past. Admittedly this infographic barely scratches the surface of Edinburgh's fascinating history, to learn more why not visit to discover what Edinburgh has to offer yourself!