City of Edinburgh

The City of Edinburgh is a council area in Scotland covering the city centre and surrounding suburbs. The Old Town and New Town are a UNESCO World Heritage Site; the New Town’s grid and Princes Street Gardens occupy the basin where the Nor Loch was drained in the early 19th century. Holyrood Park sits within the city and contains Arthur’s Seat, an extinct volcano with prominent crags and marked paths, while the Palace of Holyroodhouse stands at the lower end of the Royal Mile. The City Chambers on the Royal Mile serves as the council headquarters and civic meeting place.

The council area also includes the port district of Leith and the coastal suburb of Portobello on the Firth of Forth. National institutions such as the National Museum of Scotland and the Scottish National Gallery are based in the city, and Edinburgh Castle crowns Castle Rock above the Old Town. Street patterns, public parks and a mix of tenement streets and Georgian terraces reflect development from medieval times through the Georgian era. Rail terminals, tram lines and the A720 bypass provide transport links across the district.