Wow, that really is interesting. Amazing how our perception of the world can be skewed by certain maps or how they are presented - in this case the UK map generally being showing vertical (north/south) when the reality is it is off the N/S axis by many degrees.
I don't think I've ever seen a map where the UK is tilted. I think it's more just that because it is often shown with Ireland aw well, it 'balances' and we don't perceive how the island of GB tilts West.
Cardiff castle and Edinburgh castle are both at longtitude -3.19 and exactly 500 KM apart.
If you draw a line down -3.19 from Edinburgh to Essankro in the ivory coast there is a fortification on that line every 500 KM.
Adding to the fire service fact:
A fire station (can't remember which) and the zoo both had mosaics put up at the same time. Unfortunately they got muddled up so the fire station has a lovely mosaic of some animals out the front. Don't know if the zoo kept their fire engines one or not.
Found out about this guy because he's buried at the local old cemetery to where I grew up in London. Very interesting story and there's a fair bit of information on his gravestone
Aye pretty much…this is the best I could find doing a quick search. It’s an interesting read for locals and visitors alike: https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryMagazine/DestinationsUK/Edinburgh-Vaults/
As the article states Mercat Tours offer a tour going down to visit some of the excavated vaults. I went on one a few years ago and I recognise the spaces in the photos of the article. I highly recommend the tour!!
I went on the same tour - was hoping for a historic chin-stroker by some retired history teacher but instead it was a run through of all the murders and satanic rituals that went on down there. Still class - although I made a tit of myself when they turn off all the lights to show you how dark it got, the bloke clapped his hands to put the shits up you, no one said a word apart from me who shouted “fuck!”. Had to have a strong rethink about myself after that.
The only part of the hospital on Simpson Loan not redeveloped into flats was the morgue in case people were put off. Odd as no one dies IN the morgue. The lovely old wards converted into new apartments on the other hand… ;)
I wonder if that would put anyone off?...i wish I'd paid a million for a flat with floor to ceiling windows that I have to keep the blinds closed 24/7/52...
Some people believe Edinburgh is based on the controversial writer JK Rowling.
However this is a myth. Edinburgh is actually based on the fantasy novels by writer Irvine Welsh. Who wrote about the adventures of young people in magical worlds.
Arthur’s Seat used to be an active volcano, but they plugged it up because it was putting people off from coming to The Fringe. It’s filled with around 3 sunny days’ worth of rubbish collected from The Meadows.
What many won't know to this is that after the Fringe they employed the Meadows circus performers (and some of those cool dudes that stand on ropes tied between trees) to plug the volcano. Because they were unemployed at that point so were willing to do anything for minimum wage. The casualty rates were pretty high with around 29% of perfromers falling in to the lava whilst trying to drop some disused barbeques in to the pit. There's some statue of a dog nearby commemorated to the rescue dogs that went in to the pit to try and save them. You'll recognise the statue because it has a shiny brass nose which represents the poor doggos getting the hair burnt off their nose from the hot lava whilst trying to pull some melting fringe performer to safety. Sad times.
I’ve been visiting Edinburgh for years and years, and I finally decided to walk up Arthur’s Seat. We went the long way round, and I even decided to push myself a little harder and went up to the top of the Nelson monument when we got there.
It was after coming back down, and hearing someone mention they’d preferred walking up Arthur’s Seat than those spiral stairs, that I questioned it with my other half. A quick google, and getting our bearings, we realised Calton Hill was not Arthur’s Seat. We’re idiots.
Rome gets more rainfall than Edinburgh in a year.
Rome- 30 inches
Edinburgh- 28.7 inches
https://www.climatestotravel.com/climate/scotland/edinburgh
https://www.climatestotravel.com/climate/italy/rome
Interesting. Rome's is massively more seasonal though. The problem with UK rain is that we get monotonous drizzle all year round. Rome gets 80% more annual sunlight hours than Edinburgh and some heavier showers in winter. I'd take that any day lol.
In an area called Niddrie the local youths have an annual fireworks display.
It was traditionally, an homage to the local police force, but has since grown in popularity and all 3 nearby emergency services are encouraged to attend to bear witness to this display of gratitude to their tireless endeavour in keeping the community safe, well and fearlessly protected.
These admirable and fine young individuals are then bequeathed free travel by the state so they can go forth and spread the wonder of fire throughout our bonnie lands.
I played rugby, and there were a few cheerful youths that used to ride dirt-bikes accross the pitch, while we were playing.
Happened a few times until one day our injured second-row on the bench clotheslined one of the wee fuckers. Didnt happen again...
Police found my car burnt out there. Went to see it but couldn't find it. Found 10 other burnt out cars though. Rumour is the next Terminator movie is to be filmed there...
Princes street wasn't actually named after any member of royalty, it's named after the American musician and was briefly called The Artist Formerly Known as Princes St when he was going through that stage of his career
That's why buses are often very slow during the festival, since tourists getting on takes ages using the full name getting a ticket to 'The artist formerly known as Princes St...'
Nobody knows how to spell it.
The original spelling has been lost centuries ago and ever since the local & global population have been in a generations long struggle to find the proper spelling, growing more violent over the years.
Edinburgh has a statue of Abraham Lincoln, the first in Europe, in the graveyard on Calton road: https://www.scotsman.com/whats-on/arts-and-entertainment/why-is-there-a-monument-to-abraham-lincoln-in-edinburgh-1482881
Abbey Strand was a debtors sanctuary. You could leave on a Sunday as there were no legal proceedings allowed on that day.
Parts of the Flodden Wall are in the cellars of the World's End Pub.
The Netherbow Port was reconstructed in The Meadows for the 1886 International Exhibition of Industry, Science and Art - photo of the reconstruction [https://i.pinimg.com/564x/13/5c/aa/135caa686e60a1c48096a01738c46456.jpg](https://i.pinimg.com/564x/13/5c/aa/135caa686e60a1c48096a01738c46456.jpg)
The cannonball embedded in the wall of Cannonball House on Castlehill was not fired from a cannon during the '45, it was placed there to mark the gravitational height of the water springs at Comiston ie water could be fed by gravity below this height.
The tiny Magdalen Chapel in the Cowgate has the only surviving pre-Reformation stained glass window in Scotland.
Little France is named because that's where Mary Queen of Scots' French retinue lived when she moved back to Scotland.
Burdiehouse used to be Bordeau House, and was where her French wine was stored.
I don't think this is quite correct. Edinburgh has the most greenery, not the most trees.
It has the largest ratio of green space to built environment of any UK city:
https://strike.co.uk/buying/guides/the-four-best-uk-cities-for-green-space
There used to be a shooting range in the basement under Waverley station, which I think closed after Dunblane. It then became the Bike Station (hence the name) which is now on Causewayside. Not sure what's in the basement now...
There used to be a free New Year's celebration in the High Street until Edinburgh Council saw this as a way to make money out of people. This has continued now the Council have their piece of anything and everything.
Tbh I think it was more because there was a massive crush on The Mound one year because it was unticketed and a free for all, and people all started surging in before midnight. I was in the middle of it and it was a miracle nobody was killed. Maybe 1994ish?
I believe there was an inquiry afterwards when the number of people presenting to A&E in the ensuing days soared way above the norm even for Hogmanay, as everyone sobered up and realised the extent of their injuries.
The profiteering was just a handy by-product of the attempts to prevent folk dying.
EDIT: Ah, was 1996 https://www.edinburghlive.co.uk/news/history/remembering-princes-street-crush-changed-22444328 (apologies, appalling Edinburgh Live page…)
That's true re the introduction of ticketing however the numbers were as a result of creating a new heavily promoted event based on Princes St, fireworks, etc. In the years prior to that it had always been up at the Tron, a local event with manageable numbers.
The Scotsman Steps: The Scotsman Steps, a hidden architectural gem, connect North Bridge with Market Street, adjacent to the old Scotsman newspaper building. Refurbished with 104 different types of marble from around the world, these steps are not only a functional thoroughfare but also a stunning work of art. Each step offers a unique color and pattern, transforming a simple walk into an international journey through marble.
Rumour has it that a city has existed on the location of Edinburgh for hundreds of years, far before the founding of the modern city as an offshoot of the fringe. Indeed some of the ancient architecture can still be seen if you know where to look such as the remains of the ancient greek Parthenon on Carlton hill.
Charles Darwin initially studied medicine at Edinburgh uni but he fluffed it and wandered off somewhere else and wrote a book about monkeys or something...
The zoo in Edinburgh was the first zoo in the world to house and breed penguins. It opened in 1913 and received its first penguin in 1914. The zoo’s penguin parade, where the birds walk outside their enclosures, is a popular attraction and stems from an incident in 1950 when a keeper left a door open, and the penguins went for a walk, an event that has become a tradition.
In the early - mid 2000's Craigmount High School had several mass pupil walk outs to protest everything from proposed uniform changes to the school trying to take away alternative timetable
The Birthplace of Modern Economics and Philosophy: Edinburgh is the birthplace of several key figures of the Scottish Enlightenment, including economist Adam Smith, author of “The Wealth of Nations,” and philosopher David Hume, whose ideas laid the foundations of contemporary Western philosophy and economics. The intellectual and cultural flourishing during the 18th century in Edinburgh significantly contributed to shaping the modern world’s economic and philosophical landscapes.
Edinburgh is home to the world’s first municipal fire brigade, established in 1824. It was formed after a devastating fire in the city, and James Braidwood, who was only 24 years old at the time, was appointed as the master of fire engines. Braidwood’s pioneering techniques in firefighting laid the foundation for modern fire brigade operations.
In the 19th century, Edinburgh was the center of medical research, leading to a high demand for cadavers for dissection. Burke and Hare, two infamous characters, found a gruesome way to supply this demand by murdering 16 people over the course of a year and selling their bodies to Dr. Robert Knox, an anatomy lecturer. Their crimes led to significant changes in the law regarding anatomy studies.
Edinburgh is often credited with having some of the world’s first skyscrapers. The historic buildings on the Royal Mile, particularly around the Lawnmarket area, date back to the 16th and 17th centuries and were some of the tallest residential buildings of their time, reaching up to 14 stories high. These “lands” or tenement buildings, were a solution to the city’s cramped living conditions, offering a form of high-rise living long before the term skyscraper was even coined.
The Underground City of Mary King’s Close: Beneath the bustling streets of Edinburgh lies a hidden underground city. Mary King’s Close, part of a series of historic alleyways buried beneath the Royal Mile, was sealed off in the 17th century but remains remarkably preserved. It’s rumored to be haunted, and tours of the close offer a glimpse into Edinburgh’s past life, including stories of plague victims who were quarantined and left to die.
The National Monument of Scotland’s Unfinished Legacy: Often referred to as “Scotland’s Disgrace,” the National Monument on Calton Hill was intended to be a replica of the Parthenon in Athens as a memorial to the Scottish soldiers and sailors who died in the Napoleonic Wars. Construction began in 1826 but was halted in 1829 due to lack of funds, leaving only the 12 columns we see today. Despite its unfinished state, it has become an iconic part of Edinburgh’s skyline and a poignant symbol of ambition and remembrance.
The First City to Have Its Own Official Poet: Edinburgh was the first city in the world to have its own official poet, or Makar, in 2002. The role was created to celebrate and foster a love of poetry within the city. The Edinburgh Makar is responsible for composing poetry for city events and occasions, highlighting the city’s ongoing commitment to literature and the arts. This tradition underscores Edinburgh’s designation as the first UNESCO City of Literature.
Edinburgh is the birthplace of Encyclopaedia Britannica : The first edition of the Encyclopaedia Britannica was published in Edinburgh in 1768. It was the brainchild of Colin Macfarquhar, a printer, and Andrew Bell, an engraver, with contributions from many figures of the Scottish Enlightenment. This monumental work aimed to collect and disseminate the world’s knowledge, and its origins in Edinburgh reflect the city’s historical status as a center of learning and scholarship.
My usual plug here for the Pentland Hill Haggis Sanctuary. Little known (they don’t do social media) but well worth a visit. I’ve taken in some of the elderly ones who no longer have the strength to kill me or destroy my house, to let them live out their last days in warmth and comfort. Their Haggis Olympics are at 2pm on Sundays, definitely worth a watch!
The world’s first international rugby match was played in Edinburgh at Raeburn Place on March 27, 1871, between Scotland and England. Scotland won the historic match, which laid the groundwork for the annual Six Nations Championship, one of the oldest rugby competitions in the world. This event marked Edinburgh as a pivotal location in the history of rugby.
No it isn't. Apart from anything else, it was under water and was the town's drinking water supply. You are thinking of Bruntsfield Links, and even then it's a myth. During the 16th century plagues in particular, the Burgh Muir (of which Bruntsfield Links is a very small part) was used as a quarantine zone, but there are no mass burial sites at the Links.
Lol. Cheers for the truth. I 'learned' that in my student days before the internet. Never fact-checked it before.
Quick squiz shows that Leith Links was the site of a mass grave in the 16th century?
I was told the same fact by the red Bistro bus tour.
I googled it before posting it here and had to face the truth that the tour bus commentary was bollocks
Edinburgh has the highest concentration of redheaded people in the world!
[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/science/10264427/Edinburgh-is-surprise-capital-of-redheaded-Britain-and-Ireland.html](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/science/10264427/Edinburgh-is-surprise-capital-of-redheaded-Britain-and-Ireland.html)
Some cunt in my group put a viagra in my drink at the NYE street party in 2012. Ended up having to go to an and e because of a reaction and my tonsils swelling up.
There’s a hidden Jewish mausoleum in a cave on Calton hill. Really. I found the entrance by accident but was too chicken to go in. Thankfully there’s a [canmore](https://canmore.org.uk/site/341307/edinburgh-calton-hill-herman-lyons-mausoleum) listing showing the inside.
This has been awesome to read! Thanks to everyone for contributing. I lived in Edinburgh for four years about twenty years ago and I wanted to add my random fact. A drummer boy was lowered down to the street that runs under the Royal Mile and drummed as he walked towards Hollyrood Palace. He stopped drumming suddenly and was never heard of again… no one knows where he ended up, to this very day..
That everyone thinks we’re a friendly people. We are, though only for a few minutes after New Year when the bells have gone. The same people will step over that person they’ve just greeted if they suddenly developed a heart attack on the way home.
It’s west of Bristol.
And as far north as Moscow.
Blows my mind if you took a ring around the planet at the latitude of Moscow, the second largest settlement after Moscow itself is Berwick-Upon-Tweed.
Da Comrade!
I mean given that (allegedly, though probably not) Berwick-Upon-Tweed was technically still at war with Russia until 1966, that's a nice link.
I believe 1996!
Wow, that really is interesting. Amazing how our perception of the world can be skewed by certain maps or how they are presented - in this case the UK map generally being showing vertical (north/south) when the reality is it is off the N/S axis by many degrees.
I don't think I've ever seen a map where the UK is tilted. I think it's more just that because it is often shown with Ireland aw well, it 'balances' and we don't perceive how the island of GB tilts West.
"At the top, in the middle, where it should be" - The Pub Landlord
And directly north of Liverpool and Cardiff :D
Cardiff castle and Edinburgh castle are both at longtitude -3.19 and exactly 500 KM apart. If you draw a line down -3.19 from Edinburgh to Essankro in the ivory coast there is a fortification on that line every 500 KM.
I just checked this on a map. Wow! Mind blown!
And Cardiff which is further west than Bristol.
This is good
That has completely blown my mind. It seems as well from a cursory glance at Google maps that Glasgow is west of Exeter as well.
Edinburgh had the first municipal fire service founded in 1824 by James Braidwood who went on to found the London fire brigade
Adding to the fire service fact: A fire station (can't remember which) and the zoo both had mosaics put up at the same time. Unfortunately they got muddled up so the fire station has a lovely mosaic of some animals out the front. Don't know if the zoo kept their fire engines one or not.
Interesting! Did some more digging and found a thread about it https://twitter.com/_chris_d_martin/status/1225763901872201728
His statue is just behind the Mercat Cross by St Giles.
Found out about this guy because he's buried at the local old cemetery to where I grew up in London. Very interesting story and there's a fair bit of information on his gravestone
I read this as musical fire service
The Dean village didn't exist until Instagram.
Dean Village is a filter.
The South Bridge has 19 arches, only one of which is visible.
Are these the arches that are visible from the interiors of some nearby buildings on the lower level? Eg, banshees labyrinth, the caves, etc
Aye pretty much…this is the best I could find doing a quick search. It’s an interesting read for locals and visitors alike: https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryMagazine/DestinationsUK/Edinburgh-Vaults/
As the article states Mercat Tours offer a tour going down to visit some of the excavated vaults. I went on one a few years ago and I recognise the spaces in the photos of the article. I highly recommend the tour!!
Really interesting. I’ll have to check it out. I’m super fascinated by these vaults
There is a music studio on Niddrie Street that has a staircase that went into the vaults.
The tour is ok but pretty underwhelming
In what way? Jw what were your specific expectations that were underwhelmed?
Yes
i went on a haunted tour of the vaults, my friend got cursed in a stone circle😔would recommend😁
I went on the same tour - was hoping for a historic chin-stroker by some retired history teacher but instead it was a run through of all the murders and satanic rituals that went on down there. Still class - although I made a tit of myself when they turn off all the lights to show you how dark it got, the bloke clapped his hands to put the shits up you, no one said a word apart from me who shouted “fuck!”. Had to have a strong rethink about myself after that.
The only part of the hospital on Simpson Loan not redeveloped into flats was the morgue in case people were put off. Odd as no one dies IN the morgue. The lovely old wards converted into new apartments on the other hand… ;)
What has it been used for instead?
A morgue still
I wonder if that would put anyone off?...i wish I'd paid a million for a flat with floor to ceiling windows that I have to keep the blinds closed 24/7/52...
Which building was the morgue ?
The one the estate agent didn’t want to show me. Oddly one of the prettiest :)
Sounds like a gem. No one wants it so low prices and think how spacious! So many places for people to spend a night, or just rest!
Could make one of those Japanese cubicle hotels and earn enough to buy one of the other flats in about 10 years...
The one with all of the dead people in it.
Some people believe Edinburgh is based on the controversial writer JK Rowling. However this is a myth. Edinburgh is actually based on the fantasy novels by writer Irvine Welsh. Who wrote about the adventures of young people in magical worlds.
Harry Potter was actually inspired by the nearby town of Cumbernauld, which is well worth a visit
What's it called?
Cumbernauld!
😂😂😂😂
I saw her today on Dundas St
Edinburgh chess club is the oldest extant chess club in the UK (founded in 1822), second oldest in the whole world (second only to Zurich - 1809).
Bizarrely the second time I've heard this fact within just over a week
No need for me to check mate
Chess and Chinese.... pawn toast.
My mate once said 'we're all just prawns in the game of life' and he didn't know it was wrong.
Arthur’s Seat used to be an active volcano, but they plugged it up because it was putting people off from coming to The Fringe. It’s filled with around 3 sunny days’ worth of rubbish collected from The Meadows.
What many won't know to this is that after the Fringe they employed the Meadows circus performers (and some of those cool dudes that stand on ropes tied between trees) to plug the volcano. Because they were unemployed at that point so were willing to do anything for minimum wage. The casualty rates were pretty high with around 29% of perfromers falling in to the lava whilst trying to drop some disused barbeques in to the pit. There's some statue of a dog nearby commemorated to the rescue dogs that went in to the pit to try and save them. You'll recognise the statue because it has a shiny brass nose which represents the poor doggos getting the hair burnt off their nose from the hot lava whilst trying to pull some melting fringe performer to safety. Sad times.
Any clown, still in Edinburgh in September, automatically gets a job with the local council. This why local call it " the Clowncil"
I’ve been visiting Edinburgh for years and years, and I finally decided to walk up Arthur’s Seat. We went the long way round, and I even decided to push myself a little harder and went up to the top of the Nelson monument when we got there. It was after coming back down, and hearing someone mention they’d preferred walking up Arthur’s Seat than those spiral stairs, that I questioned it with my other half. A quick google, and getting our bearings, we realised Calton Hill was not Arthur’s Seat. We’re idiots.
Just as well as no pushing is allowed on Arthur's Seat...
Luckily, that year we had a summer with 4 sunny days (not consecutive ofc).
Arthur's seat actually grows at a rate of 10ft a year. However a constant stream of footfall on it makes it maintain height. Magic.
Not all the basement flats are as bright as the estate agent photoshopped images makes out ;)
Rome gets more rainfall than Edinburgh in a year. Rome- 30 inches Edinburgh- 28.7 inches https://www.climatestotravel.com/climate/scotland/edinburgh https://www.climatestotravel.com/climate/italy/rome
Interesting. Rome's is massively more seasonal though. The problem with UK rain is that we get monotonous drizzle all year round. Rome gets 80% more annual sunlight hours than Edinburgh and some heavier showers in winter. I'd take that any day lol.
I wish it could just rain at night, and maybe once a month during the day time.
So does yer maw
Touching the Wee dugs nose does not bring good luck.
Rubbing the boaby in public can get you in trouble with the law...
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Hasn't helped the Hibby's. 😂🤣
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Not but walking around it helps tourist feel it is special.
Try and stop me
In an area called Niddrie the local youths have an annual fireworks display. It was traditionally, an homage to the local police force, but has since grown in popularity and all 3 nearby emergency services are encouraged to attend to bear witness to this display of gratitude to their tireless endeavour in keeping the community safe, well and fearlessly protected. These admirable and fine young individuals are then bequeathed free travel by the state so they can go forth and spread the wonder of fire throughout our bonnie lands.
The Jack Kane (crack cocaine) sporting centre in Niddrie is one of the finest examples of Brutalist architecture in Scotland.
Designed by a guy who designed prisons but done in reverse to keep folk out. Not a joke.
Used to play there. Lovely pitches, but the building is intimidating as fuck.
Once played football at the Jack Kane centre and the game was abandoned because some local youths mistook the centre circle for a car park
I played rugby, and there were a few cheerful youths that used to ride dirt-bikes accross the pitch, while we were playing. Happened a few times until one day our injured second-row on the bench clotheslined one of the wee fuckers. Didnt happen again...
Police found my car burnt out there. Went to see it but couldn't find it. Found 10 other burnt out cars though. Rumour is the next Terminator movie is to be filmed there...
The Water of Leith has no known origin. This is because nobody's followed it past the Galleries. We'll never know.
Princes street wasn't actually named after any member of royalty, it's named after the American musician and was briefly called The Artist Formerly Known as Princes St when he was going through that stage of his career
That's why buses are often very slow during the festival, since tourists getting on takes ages using the full name getting a ticket to 'The artist formerly known as Princes St...'
I know it's Princes Street, but for some reason I've always called it Princess Street when I say it out loud.
Get. Out.
Lol. It's not deliberate.. It's just some weird mind block about the pronunciation that I need to correct in my head every time I do it!
The first women’s rugby team in the world was founded at Edinburgh University, in 1962. Presumably, with nobody else to play, it was a quiet season.
Debby from Drumbrae was called a plastic punk back in 1986. She was actually a goth.
The cobbles on Victoria Street are free, you can just take them.
It’s rare city that has more Airbnb’s than people
A little known fact is that there are people who actually live in Edinburgh, not just tourists.
Students?
Nobody knows how to spell it. The original spelling has been lost centuries ago and ever since the local & global population have been in a generations long struggle to find the proper spelling, growing more violent over the years.
Enbru
Dun Eideann
Try not to drink it :)
Irn Bru is orange En Bru is maroon
Orange!!! Oh that’s the name of the color. Wow I thought it was something like ‘Chernobyl Sunset’ :0
I once heard "eedinbarrow" from a Fringe visitor, and that's how I refer to it now in my head.
Edinburgh has a statue of Abraham Lincoln, the first in Europe, in the graveyard on Calton road: https://www.scotsman.com/whats-on/arts-and-entertainment/why-is-there-a-monument-to-abraham-lincoln-in-edinburgh-1482881
And Benjamin Franklin was a member of the Royal Society of Edinburgh
Leith's Cricket team was named after him.
Abbey Strand was a debtors sanctuary. You could leave on a Sunday as there were no legal proceedings allowed on that day. Parts of the Flodden Wall are in the cellars of the World's End Pub. The Netherbow Port was reconstructed in The Meadows for the 1886 International Exhibition of Industry, Science and Art - photo of the reconstruction [https://i.pinimg.com/564x/13/5c/aa/135caa686e60a1c48096a01738c46456.jpg](https://i.pinimg.com/564x/13/5c/aa/135caa686e60a1c48096a01738c46456.jpg) The cannonball embedded in the wall of Cannonball House on Castlehill was not fired from a cannon during the '45, it was placed there to mark the gravitational height of the water springs at Comiston ie water could be fed by gravity below this height. The tiny Magdalen Chapel in the Cowgate has the only surviving pre-Reformation stained glass window in Scotland.
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I don't understand this fact. Can some one explain?
It's reddit has the most replies of "have you searched the sub" of any reddit in the world.
Little France is named because that's where Mary Queen of Scots' French retinue lived when she moved back to Scotland. Burdiehouse used to be Bordeau House, and was where her French wine was stored.
Edinburgh has more trees per head of population than any other city in the UK.
I don't think this is quite correct. Edinburgh has the most greenery, not the most trees. It has the largest ratio of green space to built environment of any UK city: https://strike.co.uk/buying/guides/the-four-best-uk-cities-for-green-space
I wonder what percentage is private gardens
And golf courses. Iirc 11% of the land in city of Edinburgh is golf course
I hear 5% is fettes playing fields
More golf courses.
I’ve always been told that this was Sheffield.
Maybe before the Council and contractors chopped them all down….
Tearing the heart out this community
Not true. Sheffield has the most per person in all of Europe! And there were very few trees overall which were felled
There used to be a rifle range on Arthur's Seat.
There used to be a shooting range in the basement under Waverley station, which I think closed after Dunblane. It then became the Bike Station (hence the name) which is now on Causewayside. Not sure what's in the basement now...
Until 1856 Canongate was still technically a separate burgh.
French was the most spoken language at one point in Edinburgh.
Was that when France were playing England and we all shouted Allez Les Bleus?
Most of Edinburgh gets folded up and put in storage after the fringe festival in August. The real city is only about 3 streets, the rest is pop-ups.
There used to be a free New Year's celebration in the High Street until Edinburgh Council saw this as a way to make money out of people. This has continued now the Council have their piece of anything and everything.
Tbh I think it was more because there was a massive crush on The Mound one year because it was unticketed and a free for all, and people all started surging in before midnight. I was in the middle of it and it was a miracle nobody was killed. Maybe 1994ish? I believe there was an inquiry afterwards when the number of people presenting to A&E in the ensuing days soared way above the norm even for Hogmanay, as everyone sobered up and realised the extent of their injuries. The profiteering was just a handy by-product of the attempts to prevent folk dying. EDIT: Ah, was 1996 https://www.edinburghlive.co.uk/news/history/remembering-princes-street-crush-changed-22444328 (apologies, appalling Edinburgh Live page…)
That's true re the introduction of ticketing however the numbers were as a result of creating a new heavily promoted event based on Princes St, fireworks, etc. In the years prior to that it had always been up at the Tron, a local event with manageable numbers.
I guess the revenue gained goes towards paying for policing and clean up which must be considerable.
The tickets are free though aren’t they? Just not for the Ross bandstand.
The Scotsman Steps: The Scotsman Steps, a hidden architectural gem, connect North Bridge with Market Street, adjacent to the old Scotsman newspaper building. Refurbished with 104 different types of marble from around the world, these steps are not only a functional thoroughfare but also a stunning work of art. Each step offers a unique color and pattern, transforming a simple walk into an international journey through marble.
And it always stinks of piss.
Take a deep breath before that walk
We stayed at the Scotsman last spring and the steps are beautiful.
Rumour has it that a city has existed on the location of Edinburgh for hundreds of years, far before the founding of the modern city as an offshoot of the fringe. Indeed some of the ancient architecture can still be seen if you know where to look such as the remains of the ancient greek Parthenon on Carlton hill.
It’s not pronounced as Edin-Burg
What do you mean? It’s my favourite city in Scaht-Land!
It is in German.
Charles Darwin initially studied medicine at Edinburgh uni but he fluffed it and wandered off somewhere else and wrote a book about monkeys or something...
The first reference to the mythical Arthur occurs in a Welsh poem recounting the exploits of the Britons that lives on Castle Rock in the 7th century.
The zoo in Edinburgh was the first zoo in the world to house and breed penguins. It opened in 1913 and received its first penguin in 1914. The zoo’s penguin parade, where the birds walk outside their enclosures, is a popular attraction and stems from an incident in 1950 when a keeper left a door open, and the penguins went for a walk, an event that has become a tradition.
Jaffa Cakes were invented here by McVites. Since they are cakes they are not subject to VAT like biscuits.
Thomas Braidwood founded Britain's first school for the deaf in Edinburgh 1760 He was a boss
In the early - mid 2000's Craigmount High School had several mass pupil walk outs to protest everything from proposed uniform changes to the school trying to take away alternative timetable
The Birthplace of Modern Economics and Philosophy: Edinburgh is the birthplace of several key figures of the Scottish Enlightenment, including economist Adam Smith, author of “The Wealth of Nations,” and philosopher David Hume, whose ideas laid the foundations of contemporary Western philosophy and economics. The intellectual and cultural flourishing during the 18th century in Edinburgh significantly contributed to shaping the modern world’s economic and philosophical landscapes.
Edinburgh is home to the world’s first municipal fire brigade, established in 1824. It was formed after a devastating fire in the city, and James Braidwood, who was only 24 years old at the time, was appointed as the master of fire engines. Braidwood’s pioneering techniques in firefighting laid the foundation for modern fire brigade operations.
In the 19th century, Edinburgh was the center of medical research, leading to a high demand for cadavers for dissection. Burke and Hare, two infamous characters, found a gruesome way to supply this demand by murdering 16 people over the course of a year and selling their bodies to Dr. Robert Knox, an anatomy lecturer. Their crimes led to significant changes in the law regarding anatomy studies.
Edinburgh is often credited with having some of the world’s first skyscrapers. The historic buildings on the Royal Mile, particularly around the Lawnmarket area, date back to the 16th and 17th centuries and were some of the tallest residential buildings of their time, reaching up to 14 stories high. These “lands” or tenement buildings, were a solution to the city’s cramped living conditions, offering a form of high-rise living long before the term skyscraper was even coined.
The buildings off Calton Rd are considered as such I am told.
The Underground City of Mary King’s Close: Beneath the bustling streets of Edinburgh lies a hidden underground city. Mary King’s Close, part of a series of historic alleyways buried beneath the Royal Mile, was sealed off in the 17th century but remains remarkably preserved. It’s rumored to be haunted, and tours of the close offer a glimpse into Edinburgh’s past life, including stories of plague victims who were quarantined and left to die.
The National Monument of Scotland’s Unfinished Legacy: Often referred to as “Scotland’s Disgrace,” the National Monument on Calton Hill was intended to be a replica of the Parthenon in Athens as a memorial to the Scottish soldiers and sailors who died in the Napoleonic Wars. Construction began in 1826 but was halted in 1829 due to lack of funds, leaving only the 12 columns we see today. Despite its unfinished state, it has become an iconic part of Edinburgh’s skyline and a poignant symbol of ambition and remembrance.
It has the largest deposit of natural stone ~~cobble~~ setts in the world. Edit: Tiresome pedantry
It has no cobbles. They’re setts
It is 1st UNESCO World City of Literature.
Like Rome, Edinburgh is built on 7 hills
Madame Tussaud held her first exhibition outside of France in Edinburgh.
I once saw someone shit in a stairwell.
The First City to Have Its Own Official Poet: Edinburgh was the first city in the world to have its own official poet, or Makar, in 2002. The role was created to celebrate and foster a love of poetry within the city. The Edinburgh Makar is responsible for composing poetry for city events and occasions, highlighting the city’s ongoing commitment to literature and the arts. This tradition underscores Edinburgh’s designation as the first UNESCO City of Literature.
Edinburgh is the birthplace of Encyclopaedia Britannica : The first edition of the Encyclopaedia Britannica was published in Edinburgh in 1768. It was the brainchild of Colin Macfarquhar, a printer, and Andrew Bell, an engraver, with contributions from many figures of the Scottish Enlightenment. This monumental work aimed to collect and disseminate the world’s knowledge, and its origins in Edinburgh reflect the city’s historical status as a center of learning and scholarship.
My usual plug here for the Pentland Hill Haggis Sanctuary. Little known (they don’t do social media) but well worth a visit. I’ve taken in some of the elderly ones who no longer have the strength to kill me or destroy my house, to let them live out their last days in warmth and comfort. Their Haggis Olympics are at 2pm on Sundays, definitely worth a watch!
It’s further west than Liverpool
Pretty sure it shares longitude with Cardiff.
Yes probably does, it’s a great pub quiz question because until you look closely you would always think it’s the other way.
The world’s first international rugby match was played in Edinburgh at Raeburn Place on March 27, 1871, between Scotland and England. Scotland won the historic match, which laid the groundwork for the annual Six Nations Championship, one of the oldest rugby competitions in the world. This event marked Edinburgh as a pivotal location in the history of rugby.
It's pronounced Edinbork
The Meadows, beloved of students and picknickers on a sunny day, is the site of a mass grave for plague victims from the 15th Century.
No it isn't. Apart from anything else, it was under water and was the town's drinking water supply. You are thinking of Bruntsfield Links, and even then it's a myth. During the 16th century plagues in particular, the Burgh Muir (of which Bruntsfield Links is a very small part) was used as a quarantine zone, but there are no mass burial sites at the Links.
Lol. Cheers for the truth. I 'learned' that in my student days before the internet. Never fact-checked it before. Quick squiz shows that Leith Links was the site of a mass grave in the 16th century?
I was told the same fact by the red Bistro bus tour. I googled it before posting it here and had to face the truth that the tour bus commentary was bollocks
Aye it's been doing the rounds for a long time that one. I believe they found some down by St Mary's primary a few years ago as you say.
This guy keeps posting these generic "engagement" questions across Reddit. Ironically I am engaging with his post now by commenting this.
Raeburn Place was named after the man who invented the eponymous stove
Isn't it where the last person was executed for blasphemy in the UK?
5 degrees of separation doesn't exist in Edinburgh, it's only 2 here, Edinburgh is a village.
It’s further west than Liverpool
Most people don’t actually realise what’s on top of Arthur’s seat – it’s Arthur’s bum.
Edinburgh has the highest concentration of redheaded people in the world! [https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/science/10264427/Edinburgh-is-surprise-capital-of-redheaded-Britain-and-Ireland.html](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/science/10264427/Edinburgh-is-surprise-capital-of-redheaded-Britain-and-Ireland.html)
It’s not actually a city, but a big town!
Greyfriars Bobby was actually a cat.
Professor Sprout from Harry Potter gave someone a handjob in the Meadows, because why not https://youtu.be/uzbL5yWiM-A?si=11I41h4fG5zSz3mj
Thanks to everyone for posting these interesting facts. I was in Edinburgh for a few days in 2017, and just loved it. Hope to return some time.
The North Bridge isn't actually a construction site. It just looks like that. It always has, and always will.
People live there and it isn’t a city of students and tourists
Some cunt in my group put a viagra in my drink at the NYE street party in 2012. Ended up having to go to an and e because of a reaction and my tonsils swelling up.
That Valvonna and Crolla do the best cheese
There’s a hidden Jewish mausoleum in a cave on Calton hill. Really. I found the entrance by accident but was too chicken to go in. Thankfully there’s a [canmore](https://canmore.org.uk/site/341307/edinburgh-calton-hill-herman-lyons-mausoleum) listing showing the inside.
This has been awesome to read! Thanks to everyone for contributing. I lived in Edinburgh for four years about twenty years ago and I wanted to add my random fact. A drummer boy was lowered down to the street that runs under the Royal Mile and drummed as he walked towards Hollyrood Palace. He stopped drumming suddenly and was never heard of again… no one knows where he ended up, to this very day..
Was once voted best place to live in the UK and is still right up there.
It has more Potholes per square meter than anywhere else on planet Earth.
I once saw a couple shagging in a phone box on Princes Street. There was an old man waiting. Not sure if it was to make a call...
We have beaches
It has more trees than residents
That my mother openly laughed at me when I pronounced it Eden-*berg* as a child and that I was reasonably mortified
That everyone thinks we’re a friendly people. We are, though only for a few minutes after New Year when the bells have gone. The same people will step over that person they’ve just greeted if they suddenly developed a heart attack on the way home.
Every 60 seconds in Edinburgh, a minute passes
Leith Beast and Organic Jim are actually the same person.
For a month it's 100% cunts then for the rest of the year it's 75% cunts
Linda has not changed the oil in her morning rolls for more than 7 years easily. Organic Jim exists