Edinburgh

Sovereign state : United Kingdom

Country : Scotland

Population : 482,640 inhabitants (in 2012)

Density : 1,828h/km²

Edinburgh has a town centre divided in two. On the one hand, there is an old town built on a hill which overlooking the city. It is the castle which was built first, then, the city extended down along the street that leads from the castle (The Royal Mile). The old town welcome the Edinburgh's castle, St Giles' Cathedral, the courthouse, the National Museum of Scotland, the University of Edinburgh, and also the Royal College of Surgeons.

On the other hand, the new city has emerged in the eighteenth century because of overcrowding in the old town. In 1766, a competition was launched to draw the new city, the competition was won by James Craig, an architect who wanted a map of the city ordered. He made George Street, Princes Street and Queen Street the three important streets of the new town (which are parallel). Moreover, Princes Street became Edinburgh's main shopping street which is close to the Scott monument (see photo below), a monument of Gothic Revival built in honour of Sir Walter Scott, a great writer who was born in the city.

The Old and New Towns of Edinburgh were listed as a UNESCO Word Heritage Site in 1995.

Between Old Town and New Town, there was the Nor'Loch, it was drained in the 1820s and instead, Princes Street Gardens were created. An esplanade which is called The Mound was also created and it welcomed the Scottish National Gallery and Royal Scottish Academy.

Edinburgh is a great economic city widely based on the service sector, mainly on tourism (the capital of Scotland is the second tourism destination in the United-Kingdom), financial services, education and high-tech research. It's also a political city, indeed Edinburgh is the capital of Scotland since 1437 and it welcomes the seat of the Scottish Parliament. Finally, Edinburgh is also a cultural city because the city owns one of the most prestigious university in the world specialized in computing, geology, chemistry and medicine. And also, Edinburgh welcomes the most important festival in the world, during august, the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, which lasts three weeks.