The Old and New Towns of Edinburgh

The Old and New Towns of Edinburgh

The old town of Edinburgh was dominated by a medieval fortress, while the new town, constructed between 1767 and 1890, exerted a far-reaching influence on European urban planning.The harmonious juxtaposition of these two contrasting historic areas clearly articulated urban planning phenomena. Furthermore, the contrast between the organic medieval Old Town and the planned Georgian New Town of Edinburgh, provides a clarity of urban structure unrivalled in Europe. Correspondingly, these phenomena shape the uniqueness of Edinburgh. In 2017, researchers at the University of St Andrews conducted the new digital reconstruction of the lost townscape of sixteenth-century Edinburgh. It gave an overview of the townscape of the entire sixteenth-century city, with a particular focus on the Royal Mile – the historic spine of Edinburgh. In addition, the virtual time travel technology provided a unique window into the capital around the time of the birth of Mary Queen of Scots. Users could download the virtual reality app for mobiles and enjoy a top-down view of reconstructions of landmark present day sites such as St Giles’ Kirk, as well as long-lost landmarks such as the Nether Bow Port. This research project aligns with SDG 11 Sustainable Cities And Communities, strengthening efforts to protect and safeguard the world’s cultural and natural heritage.

is51102025

Qianqian Zhang

Site

1463

01/04/2025

cm x cm x cm

current,55.949919421285195,-3.199373055278804;

The Old and New Towns of Edinburgh

TEXT

Building

3908

public

1

qz48@st-andrews.ac.uk