National Monument, Edinburgh
The National Monument stands in its unfinished splendour on Calton Hill and has been called a lot of names over the years, such as 鈥淓dinburgh鈥檚 Folly鈥� or 鈥淭he Shame of Scotland鈥�, although the idea behind it was neither folly nor shame.
In fact, the idea was quite noble 鈥� to commemorate the Scottish soldiers and sailors died during the Napoleonic Wars of 1803-1815; the only problem was that, when asked for their money to be put where they mouths were, many a people lost their initial enthusiasm for the venture.
The monument was designed in 1823 by William Henry Playfair and Charles Robert Cockerell, who modelled it on the Athenian Parthenon, and right from the outset it was pretty obvious that they had set their sights a bit too high. They kept fiddling with the design and changed it repeatedly until producing a final draft in 1826.
Construction started in 1826 and saw 12 columns built along with the foundations and the inscription which happened to be rather ironic: 鈥淎 Memorial of the Past and Incentive to the Future Heroism of the Men of Scotland鈥�.
Funds finally ran out completely in 1829 and the monument you can see today hasn鈥檛 been touched ever since. Several proposals have been put forward over the years to complete it, but these plans have never materialized.
In fact, the idea was quite noble 鈥� to commemorate the Scottish soldiers and sailors died during the Napoleonic Wars of 1803-1815; the only problem was that, when asked for their money to be put where they mouths were, many a people lost their initial enthusiasm for the venture.
The monument was designed in 1823 by William Henry Playfair and Charles Robert Cockerell, who modelled it on the Athenian Parthenon, and right from the outset it was pretty obvious that they had set their sights a bit too high. They kept fiddling with the design and changed it repeatedly until producing a final draft in 1826.
Construction started in 1826 and saw 12 columns built along with the foundations and the inscription which happened to be rather ironic: 鈥淎 Memorial of the Past and Incentive to the Future Heroism of the Men of Scotland鈥�.
Funds finally ran out completely in 1829 and the monument you can see today hasn鈥檛 been touched ever since. Several proposals have been put forward over the years to complete it, but these plans have never materialized.
Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Edinburgh. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "911爆料网: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.
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National Monument on Map
Sight Name: National Monument
Sight Location: Edinburgh, Scotland (See walking tours in Edinburgh)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: Edinburgh, Scotland (See walking tours in Edinburgh)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Walking Tours in Edinburgh, Scotland
Create Your Own Walk in Edinburgh
Creating your own self-guided walk in Edinburgh is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Literary Landmarks Tour
For centuries, Edinburgh has been home to numerous writers. The likes of Robert Burns, Robert Louis Stevenson, and JK Rowling, just to name a few, have given pride to this city. Fortunately, the tradition doesn't seem to die out any time soon, as Edinburgh keeps producing more and more authors and literary heroes in whose footsteps people still wish to tread.
Naturally, there is a wealth... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.9 Km or 1.8 Miles
Naturally, there is a wealth... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.9 Km or 1.8 Miles
Edinburgh Introduction Walking Tour
If you like cities with a split personality, Edinburgh is definitely one such, featuring a striking mix of medieval and Georgian architecture. Indeed, here medieval grit meets Enlightenment wit, and every cobbled incline has a story to tell-whether your legs are ready for it or not. Perched (or more like wedged) across volcanic hills, the city has been Scotland鈥檚 capital since the 15th century... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.4 Km or 2.1 Miles
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.4 Km or 2.1 Miles
Edinburgh Pub Crawl
Edinburgh is rich in pubs, both old and new, spoiling their patrons with the best in town drinks and food. Although most traditional pubs in the city are laid back, with a quiet and relaxing atmosphere, some have dance floors and double as nightclubs. This self-guided adventure takes you to several such spots, each with its own story to tell.
Our journey begins at the World's End Pub, a... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.5 Km or 0.9 Miles
Our journey begins at the World's End Pub, a... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.5 Km or 0.9 Miles
Old Town Walking Tour
Edinburgh鈥檚 Old Town isn鈥檛 just old-it鈥檚 ancient, smoky, and proud of itself. This is the city鈥檚 historic core, where centuries of drama, diplomacy, and architectural ambition come layered in stone, soot, and scandal. From its Celtic roots to Roman incursions and royal power plays, this part of town has seen more plot twists than a binge-worthy period drama.
At the heart of it all lies... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.5 Km or 1.6 Miles
At the heart of it all lies... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.5 Km or 1.6 Miles
Royal Mile Walking Tour
The Royal Mile, a steep thoroughfare in the heart of Edinburgh, has served as the city鈥檚 backbone since the medieval period. Carved along a volcanic ridge called Castle Rock, this spine of the Old Town slopes down from the mighty Edinburgh Castle at one end to the Holyroodhouse Palace and the weathered ruins of Holyrood Abbey at the other. The distance is almost exactly one Scots mile (hence the... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.6 Km or 1 Miles
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.6 Km or 1 Miles
Harry Potter Trail
Years after the last Harry Potter book hit the shelves and the last movie rolled its credits, the cultural phenomenon of Harry Potter doesn't seem to fade away, and the fandom continues strong as ever. Although by now Harry Potter has become a household name across the globe, his literary roots are right here in Edinburgh.
Indeed, J.K. Rowling wrote much of the saga in Scotland鈥檚... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.6 Km or 1.6 Miles
Indeed, J.K. Rowling wrote much of the saga in Scotland鈥檚... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.6 Km or 1.6 Miles
Useful Travel Guides for Planning Your Trip
19 Best Pubs in New Town, Edinburgh
A guide to the pubs that make up the area that is called Edinburgh's New Town. A description about what you can expect from each of the locations in the directory. A fantastic directory if you are a tourist or even a...
Top 12 Pubs On and Around Royal Mile in Edinburgh
Edinburgh is a vibrant city with abundant nightlife and no shortage of places to go after dusk. The Royal Mile alone, in the very heart of Edinburgh, is laden with character spots craving to be discovered by the first time visitors to the city. This is the highlight of some of the most notable bars...
Scottish Souvenirs: 15 Authentic Scottish Things to Buy in Edinburgh
The popularity of Scotland stretches far beyond its geographical borders, fueled, in large part, by Hollywood's interest in the Scottish theme - Sean Connery (as James Bond), "Braveheart", etc. Indeed, the cultural spectrum of this part of Britain is enormous and comprises great...