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Edinburgh(/ˈɛdɪnbərə/ⓘED-in-bər-ə,Scots:[ˈɛdɪnbʌrə];Scottish Gaelic:Dùn Èideann[t̪unˈeːtʲən̪ˠ]) is thecapital cityofScotlandand one of its 32council areas.The city is located in southeast Scotland and is bounded to the north by theFirth of Forthestuary and to the south by thePentland Hills.Edinburgh had a population of 506,520 in mid-2020, making it thesecond-most populouscity in Scotland and theseventh-most populousin theUnited Kingdom.The wider metropolitan area has a population of 912,490.

Recognised as the capital of Scotland since at least the 15th century, Edinburgh is the seat of theScottish Government,theScottish Parliament,thehighest courts in Scotland,and thePalace of Holyroodhouse,theofficial residenceof theBritish monarchin Scotland. It is also the annual venue of theGeneral Assembly of the Church of Scotland.The city has long been a centre of education, particularly in the fields of medicine,Scottish law,literature, philosophy, the sciences and engineering. TheUniversity of Edinburgh,founded in 1582 and now one of three in the city, is considered one of the best research institutions in the world. It is the second-largest financial centre in the United Kingdom, the fourth largest in Europe, and the thirteenth largest internationally.

The city is a cultural centre, and is the home of institutions including theNational Museum of Scotland,theNational Library of Scotlandand theScottish National Gallery.The city is also known for theEdinburgh International Festivaland theFringe,the latter being the world's largest annual international arts festival. Historic sites in Edinburgh includeEdinburgh Castle,the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the churches ofSt. Giles,Greyfriarsand theCanongate,and the extensive Georgian New Town built in the 18th/19th centuries. Edinburgh'sOld TownandNew Towntogether are listed as aUNESCOWorld Heritage Site,which has been managed byEdinburgh World Heritagesince 1999. The city's historical and cultural attractions have made it the UK's second-most visited tourist destination, attracting 4.9 million visits, including 2.4 million from overseas in 2018. (Full article...)

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Selected location article

Afternoon in March in the centre of Regent Gardens, Edinburgh

TheRegent, Royal and Carlton Terrace Gardens(informally calledRegent Gardens,and previously known as theCalton Hill Pleasure Groundand theLarge Garden) are private communal gardens in theNew Townarea ofEdinburgh,EH7.They lie over a 4.8-hectare (12-acre) site on the east side ofCalton Hill.The gardens have been listed on theInventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapesas part of the New Town gardens heritage designation since March 2001. The gardens form some of the collection ofNew Town Gardens. The gardens are secluded high up on the hill, with impressive views southeast overHolyroodtoArthur's Seatand north across theFirth of ForthtoFife.However, the gardens are secluded and the adjacent properties offer the only close-up view of the landscape. They are the largest and most impressively landscaped of all the gardens in Edinburgh's New Town remaining in private ownership. (Full article...)

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Selected transportation article

TheEdinburgh City Bypass(A720) skirts the southern fringes of the city. The road was constructed between 1981 and 1990 and opened to motorists in sections. The road is one of the main trunk roads in east central Scotland linking vitally important routes such as theM8,the main route west toGlasgow,theA1,one of the two primary routes south from Scotland to England, and theM9toStirling.The City Bypass is linked by theA902to theA90leading north out of the city.

Edinburgh itself is the hub of theA-roadnumbering system within Scotland, and many radial routes lead into and out of the city. Routes radiating from Edinburgh are as follows (in a clockwise direction): (Full article...)

Selected area article

View of street in Greenbank

Greenbankis a residential district of southEdinburgh,Scotland.It is situated between the districts ofMorningsideandOxgangs,i.e.slightly to the south-west of the heart of Morningside. The area was originally developed in the late 19th century, being completed in the early 1930s. The formerCity Hospitalclosed in 1999, after which modern flats and houses were constructed on Greenbank Drive, some of which incorporate parts of theVictoriancontagious diseases isolation hospital. The area of the new development has become known asGreenbank Village.(Full article...)

Selected environment article

Castle Rock as seen fromPrinces Street

Castle Rock(Scottish Gaelic:Creag a' Chaisteil,IPA:[ˈkʰʲɾʲekˈaˈxaʃtʰʲɪl]) is avolcanic plugin the middle ofEdinburghupon whichEdinburgh Castlesits. The rock is estimated to have formed some 350 million years ago during the earlyCarboniferousperiod. It is the remains of avolcanic pipewhich cut through the surroundingsedimentary rock,before cooling to form very harddolerite,a coarser-grained equivalent ofbasalt.Subsequentglacial erosionwas resisted more by the dolerite, which protected the softer rock to the east, leaving acrag and tailformation.

The summit of the castle rock is 130 m (430 ft) above sea level, with rocky cliffs to the south, west and north, rearing up to 80 m (260 ft) from the surrounding landscape. This means that the only readily accessible route to the castle lies to the east, where the ridge slopes more gently. Thedefensive advantageof such a site is clear, but the geology of the rock also presents difficulties, since basalt is an extremely pooraquifer.Providing water to the Upper Ward of the castle was problematic, and despite the sinking of a 28 m (92 ft) deep well, the water supply often ran out during drought or siege, for example during theLang Siege of 1573.(Full article...)

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Selected arts article

Hogmanay fireworks overEdinburgh

Edinburgh's Hogmanayis the celebrations and observance ofHogmanay—the Scottish celebration of theNew Year—held in the capital city ofScotland,Edinburgh.The fireworks display atEdinburgh Castleare broadcast on television in Scotland, such asBBC Scotland's Hogmanay,as well as Hogmanay celebration broadcasts bySTV.(Full article...)

Selected education article

Interior dome of theMcEwan Hallafter restoration in 2017

TheUniversity of Edinburgh(Scots:University o Edinburgh,Scottish Gaelic:Oilthigh Dhùn Èideann;abbreviated asEdin.inpost-nominals) is apublicresearch universitybased inEdinburgh,Scotland.Founded by thetown councilunder the authority of aroyal charterfrom KingJames VIin 1582 and officially opened in 1583, it is one of Scotland'sfour ancient universitiesand thesixth-oldest universityin continuous operation in theEnglish-speaking world.The university played a crucial role in Edinburgh becoming a leading intellectual centre during theScottish Enlightenmentand contributed to the city being nicknamed the "Athens of the North".

The three main global university rankings (ARWU,THE,andQS) place the University of Edinburgh within their respective top 40. It is a member of several associations of research-intensive universities, including theCoimbra Group,League of European Research Universities,Russell Group,Una Europa,andUniversitas 21.In thefiscal yearending 31 July 2023, the university had a total income of £1.341 billion, with £339.5 million from research grants and contracts. It has thethird-largest endowmentin the UK, behind onlyCambridgeandOxford.The university occupies five main campuses in the city of Edinburgh, which include many buildings of historical and architectural significance, such as those in theOld Town.(Full article...)

Selected sports article

Redeveloped Meadowbank's pitch, track and small stand in front of indoor sport facility (2023)

Meadowbank Stadium(officially theMeadowbank Sports Centre) is a multi-purpose sports facility located in theMeadowbankarea ofEdinburgh,Scotland. Built on the site of the earlierNew MeadowbankandOld Meadowbanksports venues, it was originally built to host the1970 Commonwealth Games.It also hosted the Games in1986,becoming the first venue to host the Games twice. It is the current home ofScottish League TwosideEdinburgh City.

The stadium has also regularly hostedfootball.It was the home ground ofScottish Football LeagueteamMeadowbank Thistlebetween 1974 and 1995, becoming the first all-seated football ground in the UK in the process, and subsequently hosted senior non-league football as the home ground ofEdinburgh City.League football returned to Meadowbank in 2016 following City's promotion to theScottish Professional Football League.The Meadowbank complex also hostsLeith Athletic,who first played on theMeadowbank 3Gartificial pitch adjacent to the main stadium between 2013 and 2017. (Full article...)

Selected religion article

The Church of Scotland Offices

TheChurch of Scotland officesare located in the centre ofEdinburgh,Scotland (in theNew Town) at 121George Street.These imposing buildings are popularly known in Church circles as "one-two-one". They were designed in a Scandinavian-influenced style by the architectSydney Mitchelland built in 1909-1911 for theUnited Free Church of Scotland.Following the union of theChurch of Scotlandand the United Free Church of Scotland in 1929 the church offices were henceforth used by the newly united church.

A matching extension, incorporating a ground floor bookshop, was built in the 1930s on the east side (119 George Street). A proposed matching extension on the west side (replacing the still-existing buildings at 123 George Street) was never built. 123 George Street is, however, owned by the Church of Scotland and has been incorporated into the offices. The church offices also incorporate a chapel near the main entrance and a staff canteen in the basement. (Full article...)

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