Edinburgh
Town Guide
Edinburgh Town Guide, Princes Street Gardens, 5K

On the southern side of Princes Street, nestling in the ravine between the Castle and the New Town, you will find the elegant stretch of Princes Street Gardens.

Edinburgh Town Guide, Nor' Loch, 1K The gardens were once the site of the Nor' Loch (part of the Castle's defensive moat) but this was drained in the 1750s in order that some gardens could be built.

In 1816 an Act of Parliament protected the site from commercial development and so to this day the gardens remain an oasis in the heart of the city.

At the western end of the gardens is the Victorian church of St John's, whilst at the other end is the less picturesque Waverley Station. In between these two, the gardens are lined with statues of famous sons and daughters of the city.

And cutting through the gardens, at the station end is the Mound where you will find the National Gallery of Scotland and the Royal Scottish Academy.

Edinburgh Town Guide, Floral Clock, 1K Also situated at the foot of the Mound is the oldest Floral Clock in the world. Dating from 1903 it is made up of over 20,000 flowers and has electrical hands.

If you visit the clock, try to arrive in time for the quarter past the hour ritual of a little cuckoo appearing from its home.




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