City Centre

The City Centre ward forms the historic and administrative core of Edinburgh. Its boundaries encompass the principal thoroughfares of Princes Street and the Royal Mile, linking Edinburgh Castle with the Palace of Holyroodhouse. The area includes the commercial retail district, the financial sector centred on St Andrew Square, and the Old and New Towns, a UNESCO World Heritage site. The urban landscape is defined by its distinctive mix of medieval closes and Georgian grandeur.

Governance for the area is managed by the City of Edinburgh Council, with the ward electing four councillors. The topography is notably shaped by the natural ridge running east to west, which creates the dramatic elevation of the Old Town. This geography directly influences the famous network of underground vaults and chambers that lie beneath the surface streets, a legacy of centuries of building upon previous structures.