Edinburgh's Playfair Monument on Calton Hill

[image credit: zawtowers]

The Playfair Monument is named after John Playfair, who died in 1819. While locals may not find his name as memorable as some others found nearby – Sir Walter Scott and John Knox come to mind, not to mention Scotland’s untoppable Rabbie Burns – the sight of the Playfair Monument is a welcome one to those who travel to or live in Edinburgh.

Overlooking The City From Playfair Monument

From its situation on top of Calton Hill, the Playfair Monument overlooks Princes Street and gives good sight lines out to Edinburgh Castle (the highest point in the city aside from Arthur’s Seat).

The Playfair Monument is not one of the cities more ostentatious sights, but in its shadow both local and tourist can taste the sweet air off the Firth of Forth and find themselves at home among the green grass and the rolling hills nestled within this perculiar city.

View from the Castle toward Calton Hill. Get your magnifying glasses ladies and gents, the Playfair Monument is located "between" the Dugald Stewart and National Monument of Edinburgh.

[image credit: Laurel Fan]

Only a few minutes’ walk from Edinburgh’s main attractions, including the above mentioned Arthur’s Seat, the New Town, the Royal Mile, Leith Walk (site of the 1990s film “Trainspotting,” directed by Danny Boyle), the Playfair Monument is a reminder of days gone by and natural philosophy, a sight which recalls the dedication of Edinburgh University’s professors and the city’s well-known precedence in mathematics and science.

The inscription on the podium of Playfair Monument, Edinburgh

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As modest as its home city, the Playfair Monument is a well-fitted tribute to the esteemed mathematics professor John Playfair, whose memory has lasted over two centuries and whose work lives on to this day.

Central Edinburgh in Summer

Even in the centre of Edinburgh there are plenty of opportunities to enjoy the summer sun, whether in one of the numerous parks or on a pavement cafe or pub.

Princes Street Gardens lies between Edinburgh Castle and Princes Street, it is the perfect place in the centre of Edinburgh to catch the summer sun.

Central Edinburgh's perfect summer location - Princes Street Gardens

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The view of Princes Street Gardens looking down from Edinburgh Castle

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Dissecting Princes Street Gardens is the Mound which leads you from Princes Street up onto the Royal Mile. Here you will be lead past two beautifully maintained flower beds.

The Mound, bathed in Edinburgh's summer sun

[Image credit: thecnote]

Elevated Summer Views Of Edinburgh

Edinburgh Castle is of course the focal point of our city and the views from it in summer are simply breathtaking, we’re sure you will agree!

On a clear summer's day you can look North and peek into Fife from the safety of Edinburgh Castle

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Calton Hill is a beautiful vantage point from which to view Edinburgh Castle in the West

[Image credit: Pip R. Lagenta]

Of course there are many hills in Edinburgh, not only Castle Rock and Calton Hill, the summer view from Arthur’s Seat is magnificent too!

Beautiful views are the reward for those fit enough to get to the top of Edinburgh's Arthur's Seat

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Edinburgh Parks To Enjoy The Summer In

Edinburgh has loads of public parks to enjoy the summer sun in, whether for a picnic, frisbee or just sunbathing! The Meadows is a vast expanse of parkland which is very popular amongst locals and tourists alike:

The Meadows, with Arthur's Seat in the background - both perfect places for a summer's day in Edinburgh

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A beautiful summer's day in the Meadows despite clouds over Edinburgh

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At the foot of the Royal Mile lies Holyrood Park, which is often overlooked by locals and tourists alike and as such is often quiet even on the most gorgeous summer days.

A summer evening in Edinburgh's Holyrood Park

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Holyrood Park also sits at the foot of Arthur’s Seat, Edinburgh’s second volcano

Edinburgh's Arthur's Seat as seen on a summer's day from Holyrood Park

Summer Sunset On Edinburgh

Of course this article would not be complete without a fabulous Edinburgh summer sunset to end with!

A summer sunset in Edinburgh

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We hope you enjoyed this summer gallery of Edinburgh, are there any places you feel we should have added too?

The Dugald Stewart Monument on Edinburgh's Calton Hill

This structure is located on top of Calton Hill and is hard to miss because it is located in such a central position in the Edinburgh skyline. The following includes some basic information about the Dugald Stewart Monument to help you understand the importance of this structure.

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Edinburgh’s Dugald Stewart Monument In Detail

The Dugald Stewart Monument was built to memorialize the important Scottish philosopher Dugald Stewart. It was built in 1831 and was the design of the architect William Henry Playfair. The monument is inspired by and modeled after the Choragic Monument of Lysicrates, a structure located in Athens, Greece. There are many other Greek-inspired pieces of architecture in the area, and thus, the Dugald Stewart Monument fits well situated near such structures as the National Monument. The Monument is made out of yellow-grey sandstone taken from Humbie, West Lothian.

The base of the Dugald Stewart Monument bearing its namesake's dates of birth and death

Though a prominent philosopher during his time period and close friends with the famous Adam Smith, Dugald Stewart is not widely known today. Born in 1753, Dugald Stewart is widely considered to be one of the greatest Scottish Enlightenment thinkers. He was a Professor of Moral Philosophy at Edinburgh University. During his lifetime, he was a leading figure of the Scottish school of Common Sense Philosophy along with Thomas Reid, someone who would influence many of Stewart’s ideas.

The Dugald Stewart Monument honors the originality of Stewart’s work and his importance to Scottish Philosophy. Though Stewart took Reid’s ideas of psychological method and common sense doctrine and included elements of moderate empiricism and French ideologists. His work was said to influence a great number of philosophers who followed him. Today, the Dugald Stewart Monument is a much-visited monument that marks the Edinburgh skyline. If you are in this city, seeing this structure in person is sure to impress.

[Image credit: airminded]

Edinburgh's Nelson monument on Calton Hill

Designed by Robert Burn, and constructed in 1816, the structure is intentionally tall enough to be seen by ships in port at Leith Roads. The illustrious tower is a tribute to Lord Horatio Nelson, an esteemed Navy Admiral, who emerged victorious in the Battle of Trafalgar, in October, 1806. The battle was won, but Nelson lost his life as the Royal Navy mutilated the French and Spanish flotilla.

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The Nelson Monument’s Time Ball

The Time Ball on Edinburgh's Nelson Monument in its dropped position, just visible under the cross

Sitting atop this looming structure, since 1854, is a wooden, zinc clad sphere. This sphere, known as the Time Ball, is dropped at 1:00 daily, with the exception of Sunday. The Time Ball, synchronized with the city observatory, as well as the firing of the One O’Clock gun at Edinburgh Castle, is raised at 12:55, and dropped five minutes later, each day in order for ships in the Port of Leith to set their chronometers. In May of 2009, the Time Ball, weighing 762 kilos, was temporarily removed for repairs of the cracked zinc sheath.

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Views From The Top Of Nelson Monument – Edinburgh And Beyond

The Nelson Monument is sometimes described as having an inverted telescope appearance, and vaguely resembles a more erect Tower of Pisa. Nelson Monument also presents the visitor with a scenic panoramic view of the Firth of Forth, the Forth Rail and Road Bridges, and Moorfoot Hills.

The spectacular view over Edinburgh from the top of the Nelson monument

Local buildings such as the Royal High School, Dugald Stewart’s Monument, and the Governor’s House can be keenly observed from the top of the Nelson Monument as well.

The National Monument atop Edinburgh's Calton Hill

The monument was created as a memorial to all the Scottish soldiers and sailors who have died during the Napoleonic wars, and was designed in 1822. Charles Robert Cockerell along with his colleague William Henry Playfair. They modeled after the Parthenon in Athens. Legend has it that The National Monument was supposed to be modeled exactly the same as the Parthenon in Athens, but part way through construction, money ran out and they decided it looked great enough as it was. Therefore, it looks as though only one side of the structure has been completed.

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Edinburgh’s National Monument, Incomplete As Edinburgh Too Proud To Accept Glaswegian Cash

The much larger city of Glasgow was said to have offered to help cover the costs of the monument, however Edinburgh had too much pride to accept the charity from the other city. Because of this, The National Monument is sometimes referred to as either “Edinburgh’s Disgrace” or “Edinburgh’s Folly”. Many wish that it had been thoroughly completed and strongly believe that it was meant to be a total replica, while others dispute that there were no plans to make the monument into a replica, but that only 12 columns were ever planned.

The National Monument in Edinburgh was never completed

The National Monument is a big part of Edinburgh’s skyline. This huge structure includes a 6-ton foundation stone as it’s base, and was laid down in 1822 by King George IV during a time he was visiting Scotland. The National Monument was conceived as a church, and contained catacombs beneath it as a place of burial.

[image credit zawtowers]