The History and Culture of Edinburgh, Scotland

Edinburgh has a great history and amazing culture - almost one thousand years of it and you can read much more about it through these pages.  Edinburgh, or Dun Eidean, as it is known in gaelic, is Scotland's capital city and is one of the major centres of the Enlightenment, led by the University of Edinburgh and the city became known as the Athens of the North. 

Our rich history also encourages people to find out about their Scottish ancestry. Find out more here.

In 1995 the Old and New Town areas of Edinburgh were designated a UNESCO World Heritage site. There are over 4,500 listed buildings in the city recognised for their architecture or historical and cultural importance.  Edinburgh has many really good museums including the Museum of Childhood, the National Galleries, the National Museum of Scotland and of course the museum of Edinburgh Castle which houses the Scottish Crown Jewels.

The Edinburgh Festival is in fact a series of events running from the end of July until mid September each year.  The oldest event is the Edinburgh International Festival which started in 1947.  There's comedy, art, music, books, science and a military tattoo as well as a myriad of street theatre making Edinburgh a fantastic place to be July - September. Many of the events are free but others are booked up well in advance.

In recent years, the Edinburgh Hogmany party has also become world famous.   Limited to 100.000 tickets there are live bands, processions, concerts and of course the famous fireworks over Edinburgh Castle at midnight.  Definitely an event worth being part of.

So, use these pages to find out about Edinburgh's museums, events and history.