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A walk in old Edinburgh
A walk in old EdinburghPar Georges RouzeauStart with the castle set atop its strategic site, Castle Rock, from where you have a panoramic view over the entire city and above all of the large volcanic hill resembling a crouching lion, Arthur's Seat, located in Holyrood Park. The esplanade in front of the castle marks the beginning of the main artery crossing the old town, the famous Royal Mile, which is formed by the succession of four streets—Castlehill, Lawnmarket, High Street and Canongate—ending at the Palace of Holyrood House, the residence of the Queen when she is staying in Edinburgh. A mile long, as stated by its name, this street is lined by many historic buildings (some Medieval), pubs and cake shops. Walking down the street, you first pass TheHub, a former neogothic church re-designed inside as Edinburgh's festival centre in 1999. The building is the venue for contemporary art exhibitions and also houses the Café Hub offering tasty food.  Gladstone's Land, a narrow six-storey tenement building, typical of 17th century Edinburgh. © G. Rouzeau/ViaMichelin Further on you can't miss a narrow six-storey tenement building, Gladstone's Land, typical of 17th century Edinburgh. The first storey flat is a small museum with period furniture (sculpted Scotch bed and Dutch chests) and period decoration (in particular the painted ceilings). Continuing along the same footpath, at the back of a courtyard, one of the many on Royal Mile, is Lady Stair's House (1622), which today houses the Writers' Museum exhibiting memorabilia and manuscripts of the three main figures of Scottish literature: Robert Burns, Walter Scott and Robert Louis Stevenson. A few steps from here, you pass Brodie's Close. Brodie, who lived in the eighteenth century, was an outwardly respectable member of the Town Council. But he was also a gambler, a rake and a burglar. He is said to have inspired Stevenson's masterpiece, Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. Alongside, the pub bearing his name, Deacon Brodie's Tavern, is a good place to meditate on the duplicity of the human soul.  View towards Arthur's Seat from the terrace of the National Museum of Scotland. © G. Rouzeau/ViaMichelin At the crossroads, turn right over George IV Bridge to visit the extraordinary NationalMuseum of Scotland. Opened in 1998, this striking landmark is clad with golden Clashach sandstone from Morayshire. The spacious and light interior offers a superb setting for the rich national collections presenting the story of Scotland—its land, its people and culture—taking you from Scotland's geological beginnings through to the twentieth century. The view to be enjoyed from the panoramic terrace embraces the Old Town, the New Town, the sea, Arthur's Rock and the surrounding hills. Located on the top floor, the Tower Restaurant affords the same magnificent outlook, including at night, but prices are higher then than at lunchtime. Leaving the museum, have a coffee or an organic tea at the Elephant House among grandmothers and students engrossed in reading the press: you'll have a great view over the roofs and spires of 17th century Edinburgh. It was here that J.K. Rowling found her inspiration to write the first volume of Harry Potter.  The beautiful Georgian facade of Parliament Hall, former seat of the Scottish Assembly. © G. Rouzeau/ViaMichelin Back on the Royal Mile (called High Street on this stretch), you now pass St Giles Cathedral, crowned with a magnificent lantern tower. Transformed by numerous restorations and alterations, this building is regarded as the mother church of Presbyterianism. Inside, you'll see a statue of minister John Knox, founder of the Presbyterian church. In the immediate vicinity, the Pâtisserie Florentin offers a selection of mouth-watering cakes and pastries, such as its famous almond croissant, an excellent hot drinking chocolate and set menus for a quick lunch. After passing in front of the fine Georgian facade of Parliament House, the former seat of the Scottish Assembly which today houses the High Court of Justiciary, pause for a while in front of another institution, GeoffreyKiltmakers. Here you'll find nothing but traditional, pure, Scottish wool and a whole range of kilts adopted by the likes of French couturier Jean-Paul Gauthier and pop singer Robbie Williams. You now enter Canongate, in the past an independent burgh where the members of the court had their mansions built to be close to the royal Palace of Holyrood. Until the 1960s the district was considered a slum. Imagine the degree of restoration carried out! Canongate Tolbooth, with its turreted steeple and clock overhanging the street, is a fine example of 16th century architecture.  Royal Holyrood Palace © G. Rouzeau/ViaMichelin Close by, Holyrood Park is a magnificent area of greenery in the heart of the city, overlooked by Arthur's Seat which reaches 251 m / 816 ft at its highest point. A footpath leads to the summit in less than half an hour. Why not keep the ascent for New Year's Day and join in with the New Year revellers up there? | ||||||||||||
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