Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
GALLERY
Royal Scottish Academy
(
www.royalscottishacademy.org
;
The Mound; fee for special exhibitions; 10am-5pm
Mon-Sat, 2-5pm Sun)
The distinguished Greek Doric temple at the corner of The Mound
and Princes St, its northern pediment crowned by a seated figure of Queen Victoria, is the
home of the Royal Scottish Academy. Designed by William Playfair and built between
1823 and 1836, it was originally called the Royal Institution; the RSA took over the build-
ing in 1910. The galleries display a collection of paintings, sculptures and architectural
drawings by academy members dating from 1831, and they also host temporary exhibi-
tions throughout the year.
The RSA and the National Gallery of Scotland are linked via an underground mall - the
Weston Link
- which gives them twice the temporary exhibition space of the Prado in
Madrid and three times that of the Royal Academy in London, as well as housing cloak-
rooms, a lecture theatre and a restaurant.
GEORGE STREET & CHARLOTTE SQUARE
Until the 1990s George St - the major axis of New Town - was the centre of Edinburgh's
financial industry and Scotland's equivalent of Wall St. Today the big financial firms have
moved to premises in the Exchange office district west of Lothian Rd, and George St's
former banks and offices house upmarket shops, pubs and restaurants.
At the western end of George St is Charlotte Sq, the architectural jewel of New Town,
designed by Robert Adam shortly before his death in 1791. The northern side of the
square is Adam's masterpiece and one of the finest examples of Georgian architecture
anywhere.
Bute House
, in the centre at No 6, is the official residence of Scotland's first
minister, the equivalent of London's 10 Downing St.
Georgian House
(NTS; 7 Charlotte Sq; adult/child £6/5; 10am-6pm Jul & Aug, to 5pm Apr-Jun, Sep &
Oct, 11am-4pm Mar, to 3pm Nov)
The National Trust for Scotland's Georgian House has
been beautifully restored and furnished to show how Edinburgh's wealthy elite lived at the
end of the 18th century. The walls are decorated with paintings by Allan Ramsay, Sir
Henry Raeburn and Sir Joshua Reynolds.
HISTORIC BUILDING
ST ANDREW SQUARE
Not as architecturally distinguished as its sister at the opposite end of George St, St
Andrew Sq is dominated by the fluted column of the
Melville Monument
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