New Town Tales

Ten stunning buildings that earn Edinburgh the nickname of Athens of the North

EDINBURGH’S New Town is something of a masterpiece when it comes to city planning. Built between the 1760s and 1850s with distinct ancient Greek influence, it was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995, together with the Old Town. Here are some of the best Neoclassical buildings that helped earn that status...

1 National Monument Of Scotland, Calton Hill

Designed by Charles R. Cockerell and William Henry Playfair, this planned monument to the memory of Scottish soldiers killed in the Napoleonic Wars – designed as a facsimile of the Parthenon in Athens – was never completed after the money ran out. Variously dubbed “Edinburgh’s Shame” or “The Pride and Poverty of Scotland”, its actual location is slightly different from originally planned, to avoid upsetting the views from the Old Observatory building on Calton Hill.

2 Old Royal High School, Regent Road

Built between 1826 and 1829 to the designs of Thomas Hamilton, on the south face of Calton Hill, the former school of author Sir Walter Scott, politician Robin Cook and comedian Ronnie Corbett was, for decades, the presumed home of a re-established Scottish Parliament. It was part of Edinburgh’s planned Acropolis, and debate continues about its future use, with suggestions including a gallery, hotel or music school. 

3 The Royal Scottish Academy, The Mound

Construction began on the current home of the Royal Scottish Academy of Art and Architecture, originally named after the Royal Institution for the Encouragement of the Fine Arts in Scotland, in 1822, to a design by William Henry Playfair. Some people still debate whether Sir John Steell’s statue of Queen Victoria, part of William Thomas Oldrieve’s 1912 modifications, is actually too large for the building.

4 University Of Edinburgh Old College, South Bridge

This iconic building was the birthplace of the University of Edinburgh and is currently home to the university’s law school, the Talbot Rice Gallery and part of the university’s administration. It was built in several phases between 1789 and 1887 to a design originally by Robert Adam, with later contributions by William Henry Playfair and Sir Robert Rowand Anderson – the latter notably adding the distinctive dome with its gilded statue of Youth.

5 The Assembly Rooms, George Street

Now best known as one of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe’s most established venues, this meeting hall was one of the earliest neoclassical buildings constructed in the New Town. Designed by architect John Henderson and funded through public subscription, the building was first opened in January, 1787, and soon became “the place to be seen”. The building has been modified several times, most recently in 2011.

6 The Dome, George Street

Originally commissioned and built in 1847 as the headquarters of the Commercial Bank of Scotland – now part of the Royal Bank of Scotland – this Category A listed building includes an iconic glass dome and large central lobby. Architect David Rhind’s extravagant Greco-Roman “temple” to wealth now symbolises the reimagining of the New Town’s numerous neoclassical buildings from financial businesses into bars, restaurants and nightclubs.

7 West Register House, Charlotte Square

In the original New Town plan, both St George’s Square – later Charlotte Square – to the west and St Andrew Square to the east were intended to have churches visible from either end of George Street. Work on Robert Adams’ St George’s Church, completed by architect Robert Reid, began in 1811, with the church – now used by the National Records of Scotland – opening three years later. 

8 General Register House, Princes Street

8Constructed between 1774 and 1789 – although it was left uncompleted for many years thanks to a lack of funds – General Register House was designed by Robert and James Adam. Notably, it was the first public building erected in the New Town and the first purpose-built public record repository in the UK. It continues in the latter role today, an invaluable resource for family historians.

9 Edinburgh City Chambers, High Street, Royal Mile

Built between 1753 and 1761, Edinburgh’s purposebuilt Royal Exchange ultimately proved unpopular with merchants and was subsequently taken over by the town council from 1811. Designed by the architect John Adam, the building absorbed and blocked off many of the old closes which ran south to north from the High Street, some of which now make up The Real Mary King’s Close visitor attraction.

10 Scottish National Gallery, The Mound

Tucked in behind the Royal Scottish Academy, the home of Scotland’s national art collection was also styled as an Ancient Greek temple by the architect William Henry Playfair, although its more austere style is arguably down to a smaller budget. Work to extend the exhibition space in the building’s lower levels and create a new entrance in Princes Street Gardens began in January, 2019.