Edinburgh
Town Guide
Edinburgh Town Guide, Cowgate, 3K

Cowgate, which takes its name from the cattle who used to pass by on their way to grazing, is one of the main routes through Edinburgh's Old Town, running parallel to the Royal Mile.

Edinburgh Town Guide, The Street, 1K The street was once one of Edinburgh's most exclusive residential districts, however by the 19th century it had gone into decline.

By the 1840s it was associated with poor immigrants and then, as people started to move to the New Town developments in the north of the city, it degenerated into a notorious slum district.

Today Cowgate is no longer a poor slum area and it has undergone somewhat of a renaissance in the last decade or so, becoming increasingly trendy. Tourist attractions along Cowgate include Magdalen Chapel and St Cecilia's Hall.

However the street is more strongly associated with the numerous pubs and clubs which flank it and so the street is likely to be at its best if you visit in the evening.




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