Royal Mile, Edinburgh, Scotland

Europe / Northern Europe / United Kingdom
25 Aug, 2016
0

Royal Mile Scotland Photo. Img Via: thousandwonders.net

Walking down the street is one of the most interesting and enjoyable activities when we visit a city. The architectural beauty of the building, the hustle of the city, and the people who inhabit the city will be able to be found by browsing the main road. In the city of Edinburgh, one of the most interesting way to explore is the Royal Mile.

This route connects two important and historic buildings in Scotland, stretching from Edinburgh Castle on the hill, Castle Rock and down to Holyrood Palace in the Old Town. Royal Mile is now divided into a number of pieces of the highway, including the Castlehill, Lawnmarket, High Street, Canongate and Holyrood.

In addition to the Princess Street area in New Town, Royal Mile area is the area of the most crowded and most visited by tourists in the city of Edinburgh. The eruption of the volcano which is located in Edinburgh around 340 million years ago is not only shaping the hill, Castle Rock as the remnants of the eruption, but also form a lava flow that has now become a road down the hill to the area of the city below.

Royal Mile Edinburgh Scotland. Img Via: exploraescocia.com

Land at the foot of the volcano would be a very fruitful and become the center of civilization. When King David I became ruler in Scotland in the 12th century, he not only build an Edinburgh Castle on the hill, but also build a road connecting the castle with the city.

The foothills region closest to the gate of the castle built in agricultural areas that provide food supplies for officials, soldiers, and priests at the temple, known as Castlehill. In addition, King David also gives permission to undertake trading activities between communities. The area is not far from Castlehill and the city later became a center of trade and open markets, known as the Land Market.

The name “Land Market” later known as “Lawnmarket”, reflects the way the Scottish people pronounce the word “Land”. In the region that have entered the area of the city, he built a main road that serves as a way for the king to go to the castle, known as the Via Regis, which means the Way of the King, and now known as High Street.

One of the places where the king and the royal is Holyrood Abbey, a place of worship once the administrative center of the kingdom. The name “Holyrood” is taken from the name of Holy Rood, or Black Rood, a cross belonging to Queen Margaret, the mother of King David I. Some of the area and the road is exactly what became the initial formation of the Royal Mile.

The name “Royal Mile” itself has used since the 16thcentury, when it was in the year 1501 to 1505, King James IV built a new palace at a location not far to Holyrood Abbey. The palace was then known as the Palace of Holyrood house or Holyrood Palace, used as the official residence of the royal family, while Edinburgh Castle later functioned as a military center.

Royal Mile Scotland UK. Img Via: maninamsterdam.wordpress.com

Since then the route is known as the Royal Mile, which means connecting road between two important royal buildings of Scotland, the Edinburgh Castle and Holyrood Palace, the road length reaches approximately 1 mile.

Royal Mile is a very strategic location in the city of Edinburgh, it is natural then this area becomes overcrowded by residents. The population density in this area is most severe in the middle of the 17th century was only in the late 18th century, this area is cleared and then reorganized in a neat and orderly.

Areas along the route of the Royal Mile is now filled with a variety of magnificent historic building with charming architecture and places of interest. Royal Mile starts from an area near the gates of Edinburgh Castle, known as the Castle Esplanade.

The place is in the form of an open ground was built in 1753 as a place to hold a ceremonial parade, one of which is the annual Edinburgh Military Tattoo. From this field will be seen how magnificent Edinburgh Castle dominates the landscape in the hills. Located below the Castle Esplanade is Castlehill area.

In this area, there are several pieces of historic buildings, including the Cannonball House, a building from the 16th century which marks the first installation of piping water lines in the city of Edinburgh. Another interesting building is one of the landmarks of the city, once famous attraction is the Camera Obscura and Outlook Tower.

The place offers an exhibition of old photographs of holography and the reflection panorama city of Edinburgh. In this area there is also a comfortable place to rest, the Scotch Whisky Heritage Center. Lawnmarket region since it was built is intended as a central area for buying and selling, it is no wonder if in this area is now inhabited by a shopping center.

But in addition to the commercial area, there is also a landmark and important buildings of the city, including the High Court of Judiciary buildings and Glandstone’s Land. In addition, there are several pieces of other places of interest such as Gladstone’s Gallery and The Writer’s Museum. In this area, there is also a statue of great Scottish philosopher and historian, namely David Hume.

The end of the Lawnmarket area is characterized by a bridge crossing paths with George IV Bridge on the right and Bank Street on the left. The view towards Bank Street is dominated by the grandeur and beauty of the baroque architecture of the building Bank of Scotland. The Region High Street is arguably the most crowded and most magnificent.

Some of the important places that are in this area is Parliament Square. In Parliament Square is also a place of worship of the High Kirk of Edinburgh, or more commonly known as St. Giles’ Cathedral.

Right next to St Giles’ Cathedral, there is a mosaic on the floor of a heart-shaped pattern, known as the Heart of Midlothian. This sign was made in memory of the Old Tolbooth building, namely the central administration, tax law and prisons that have been demolished. In the area of Parliament Square there are also several statues of great figures such as Adam Smith’s Scotland, the Duke of Buccleuch and King Charles II. Some places become another interesting attraction in the High Street is John Knox House, Museum of Childhood and the Police Museum.

Areas along the route of the Royal Mile has now become one of the places that must be visited by tourists who visit the Royal Mile. The best way to enjoy the Royal Mile area is to walk down along the road and see the splendor of the buildings on the left and right.

Various types of entertainment, attractions, places of rest, eating places, bars or cafes also found along the route. For those who are in the city of Edinburgh and yet have specific plans for tourist destinations, along the Royal Mile is one of the main options.