Calton Hill

Calton Hill is the headquarters of the Scottish Government, in central Edinburgh, and is also the home of several iconic monuments and buildings: the Nelson Monument, the old Royal High School and the City Observatory and Old Oservatory House, not to mention the most striking of all - the hills magnificent Aethenian acropolis, wich is known as the National Monument. Views of, and from, the hill are often used in photographs and paintings of the city.

Building of the National Monument began in 1826, one year after Napoleons defeat at Waterloo, as a memorial to those who had died during the war. However, three years later, after only a small portion of the building work was complete, funding ran out and the project was abandoned. The half-built frontage of the building was then known as 'Edinburgh's shame', but is now a very popular landmaek and attraction.

Many events take place on Calton Hill every year, including the Dussehra Hindu Festival every October, and the Beltane Fire Festival every April 30th, which over 12,000 people come to see.

Calton can be found just to the east of Princes Street in Edinburgh, and is very easy to get to - just a five minute walk up a staircase from Regent Street to the top of the hill (the views are more than worth the walk), or by car, as there is parking available on the hill.

Attractions

• Calton Hill Edinburgh 0.00
• Duncan's Monument Edinburgh 0.21
• Scottish Tartan Museum Edinburgh 0.65
• Edinburgh Dungeon Edinburgh 0.68
• St. Andrew Square Edinburgh 0.69
• St. Giles Cathedral Edinburgh 0.77
• St Giles Cathedral Edinburgh 0.79
• Parliament House Edinburgh 0.82
• Royal Mile Edinburgh 0.91
• Royal Museum of Scotland Edinburgh 0.96

Theatre

• Gateway Theatre 0.52
• Pleasance Theatre Festival 0.86
• Edinburgh Festival Theatre 0.96
• Bedlam Theatre 1.11
• Traverse Theatre 1.57
• Royal Lyceum Theatre 1.60
• Kings Theatre 1.92
• Edinburgh Peoples Theatre 2.74
• Church Hill Theatre 3.02
• Brunton Theatre 7.94

Train Station

• Edinburgh Waverley Train Station 0.56
• Haymarket Train Station 2.51
• Slateford Train Station 4.92
• Brunstane Train Station 5.35
• Newcraighall Train Station 6.27
• Kingsknowe Train Station 6.44
• Musselburgh Train Station 7.27
• South Gyle Train Station 7.52
• Westerhailes Train Station 7.85
• Edinburgh Park Train Station 8.39