Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Don't Miss
Scott Monument
The eastern half of Princes Street Gardens is dominated by the massive Gothic spire of the
Scott Monument
(
www.edinburghmuseums.org.uk
; admission £3; 10am-7pm Mon-Sat Apr-
Sep, 9am-4pm Mon-Sat Oct-Mar, 10am-6pm Sun year-round)
, built by public subscription in
memory of the novelist Sir Walter Scott after his death in 1832. The exterior is decorated
with carvings of characters from his novels; inside you can see an exhibition on Scott's
life, and climb the 287 steps to the top for a superb view of the city.
West End Churches
The western end of the gardens is dominated by the tower of
St John's Church
, worth
visiting for its fine Gothic Revival interior. It overlooks
St Cuthbert's Parish Church
,
built in the 1890s on a site of great antiquity - there has been a church here since at least
the 12th century, and perhaps since the 7th century. There is a circular
Watch Tower
in
the graveyard, a reminder of the days when graves had to be guarded against bodysnatch-
ers.
Floral Clock & Ross Bandstand
At the entrance to the western gardens on the corner of Princes St and the Mound is the
Floral Clock
, a working clock laid out in flowers; it was first created in 1903 and the
design changes every year. In the middle of the western part of the gardens is the
Ross
Bandstand
, a venue for open-air concerts in summer and at Hogmanay, and the stage for
the famous Fireworks Concert during the Edinburgh Festival.
Top Tips
›
The gardens are home to events throughout the year, from the Edinburgh Festival Fireworks
Concert to the Christmas Market and ice-skating rink in December. See
›
Spring is the time to see the gardens' flower displays at their best - in April the slopes below
the castle esplanade are thick with yellow daffodils.