Edinburgh, which is the capital of Scotland is also one of the weird tourist destination spots that would send chills down your spine. This city was erected over a heap of corpses and traces of bones are still left behind. Edinburgh is famed for its spooky locations along with dark mediaeval walls that hold a plethora of secrets. Besides, the Scottish capital has in-store fun and cool facts. Each year, mass influxes of tourists from all corners of the globe throng this country to catch a glimpse of some of Dickens’ iconic characters too. Before embarking on your journey to Edinburgh, you may consider booking air tickets via British Airways as they render impeccable customer services, flexible cost, and cabins tailor-made for passengers.
Some of the top ten interesting facts regarding Edinburgh are as follows
1. Edinburgh Fringe Festival
It is estimated that around three hundred venues are arranged for hosting more than three shows with an overall 50000 performances. Both local and inbound tourists arrive at the spot to witness this spectacular event. This festival should be included in your bucket list and it usually commences on August 3rd.
2. J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series
The majority of people might not be quite familiar with the fact that Edinburgh was a source of inspiration for J.K. Rowling wrote the Harry Potter books while residing in the city. Visitors do have the option to check out nearby coffee shops along with popular hotels like Elephant House and Balmoral Hotel where she spent most of the time drafting the novels. Do not forget to visit some of the famous film locations such as Victoria Street and Greyfriars Kirkyard.
3. The Knighted Penguin of Edinburgh
The Edinburgh Zoo is home to the famous Knighted Penguin. It is currently the official mascot of the King’s Guard of Norway and successfully earned the title of Brigadier Sir Nils Olav. The primary role of King Penguin is to examine Norwegian guards during their visits to Edinburgh.
4. One O’clock gunshot
Perched atop a seven-hundred-year-old extinct volcano, Edinburgh Castle is truly a sight to behold. Ensure that you assemble at the spot around 1 am to witness the ‘One O’clock gunshots’ fired from the castle. This event is organised on all days except Sundays.
5. National Animal of Scotland
Even though the Unicorn is regarded as a mythical creature, it did not prevent the Scottish from declaring this animal as their national animal as Edinburgh is acclaimed for its legends and myths.
6. Edinburgh University
It is one of the leading public research universities across the globe. It is home to numerous historical structures which are located in Old Town.
7. Castle Rock, Holyrood
The landscape of Edinburgh materialised out of a glacier. Castle Rock, Holyrood, and Edge of the Royal Mile emerged owing to the advancing ice sheets that moulded them.
8. The Royal Mile
The Royal Mile is considered as the backbone of the Old Town in Edinburgh. It houses a diverse range of architectural styles from crow-stepped gables to contemporary façade. This is also the main venue for organising festivals such as the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo and Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
9. James Braidwood
James Braidwood was the pioneer behind the inception of municipal fire service in 1824 at Edinburgh. The action was initiated soon after a massive fire broke out at Old Town. Braidwood was summoned to establish a fire service in London.
10. Parks
Edinburgh is home to more than one hundred and twelve parks when compared to the UK.
Apart from the above mentioned, there are other facts, which you may not be probably aware of. Some of them are
- There are around 20 vaults beneath the South Bridge where the majority of the cities are erected. South Bridge vaults were established in 1788 and were meant to preserve store shop products.
- John Knox, an eminent protestant reformer who passed away in 1572 is believed to be buried underneath the car parking space 23. However, it was later tarmacked and the property currently belongs to the High Court of Scotland. A memorial tablet has been placed at that particular spot to mark the burial site of Knox.
- The Balmoral Clock:Situated in the heart of the Scottish capital, the Balmoral Clock displays incorrect times. Ever since time immemorial, this clock was set three minutes faster to ensure that passengers would not miss their train. On the contrary, the only day where the clock operates accurately is during New Year’s Eve.
Some of the eerie facts of Edinburgh are
- Prince Street Gardens
Prince Street gardens were previously leveraged to discard dead bodies. James III commanded the development of Nor Loch to bolster the defences of Edinburgh Castle. Nevertheless, it was a cesspool meant to execute people by immersing them in murky waters. Quite a few were shackled and they were submerged deep into the bottom to meet one’s death.
- Greyfriars Kirkyard
Over five lakh corpses are buried at Greyfriars Kirkyard. Owing to the city’s dearth of places to bury the bodies, a huge volume of corpses accumulated in some parts of Edinburgh.
- Body-snatching capital
During the 19th century, Edinburgh was the primary venue for conducting medical research. This prompted anatomists to scout for corpses and rely on body snatchers to execute the task. Grave robbery was rampant at that time wherein robbers were engaged in excavating fresh bodies amidst night.
- Hotbed for witch trials
In the 1600’s, several accused witches were burnt alive at Edinburgh. Visitors would come across the Witches Well at the Castle’s esplanade. It was constructed to pay tribute to the Scottish women who were crucified for many centuries owing to witchcraft accusations.
Conclusion
So listed above are some of the facts related to Edinburgh, which you might not even cover during walking tours. Those who are eagerly waiting to discover the cool facts of this splendid city may immediately book flight tickets through British Airways and avail of benefits including rewards and frequent fliers.
Also Read: Britain Takes Flight: Aviation Innovations Shaping the Future of UK Travel
