At the bottom of a stone canyon made up of tenements, churches, volcanic cliffs and the castle, Greyfriars Kirkyard is one of Edinburgh's most evocative spots.
April 21, 2006 (Press Release) --
Greyfriars Kirk & Kirkyard
At the bottom of a stone canyon made up of tenements, churches, volcanic cliffs and the castle, Greyfriars Kirkyard is one of Edinburgh's most evocative spots - a peaceful oasis dotted with memorials and surrounded by Edinburgh's dramatic skyline. The kirk (church) was built on the site of a Franciscan friary and opened for worship on Christmas Day 1620. In 1638, the National Covenant was signed inside near the pulpit. The covenant rejected Charles I's attempts to reintroduce episcopacy and a new English prayer book, and affirmed the independence of the Scottish church. Many who signed were later executed in Grassmarket and, in 1679, 1200 Covenanters were held prisoner in terrible conditions in an enclosure in the yard. There's a small exhibition inside.
Another area attraction stems from the story of Bobby, a Skye terrier who maintained a vigil over the grave of his master, an Edinburgh police officer, from 1858 to 1872. In the kirk you can buy Greyfriars Bobby - The Real Story at Last, Forbes Macgregor's debunking of some of the myths surrounding Bobby. Bobby's grave is just inside the entrance to the kirkyard.
Calton Hill
Calton Hill, at the east end of Princes St, is another distinctive component of Edinburgh's skyline, 100m (333ft) high and scattered with grandiose memorials mostly dating from the first half of the 19th century. Here you get one of the best views of Edinburgh, taking in the entire panorama - the castle, Holyrood, Arthur's Seat, the Firth of Forth, the New Town and Princes St.
Royal Observatory
Directly south of the city centre on Blackford Hill, the observatory was moved here from Calton Hill in 1896. In the visitor centre there's a multimedia gallery with computers and CD ROMs on astronomy, and there are terrific views of Edinburgh from the rooftop.
Source: http://www.yahoo.com
At the bottom of a stone canyon made up of tenements, churches, volcanic cliffs and the castle, Greyfriars Kirkyard is one of Edinburgh's most evocative spots - a peaceful oasis dotted with memorials and surrounded by Edinburgh's dramatic skyline. The kirk (church) was built on the site of a Franciscan friary and opened for worship on Christmas Day 1620. In 1638, the National Covenant was signed inside near the pulpit. The covenant rejected Charles I's attempts to reintroduce episcopacy and a new English prayer book, and affirmed the independence of the Scottish church. Many who signed were later executed in Grassmarket and, in 1679, 1200 Covenanters were held prisoner in terrible conditions in an enclosure in the yard. There's a small exhibition inside.
Another area attraction stems from the story of Bobby, a Skye terrier who maintained a vigil over the grave of his master, an Edinburgh police officer, from 1858 to 1872. In the kirk you can buy Greyfriars Bobby - The Real Story at Last, Forbes Macgregor's debunking of some of the myths surrounding Bobby. Bobby's grave is just inside the entrance to the kirkyard.
Calton Hill
Calton Hill, at the east end of Princes St, is another distinctive component of Edinburgh's skyline, 100m (333ft) high and scattered with grandiose memorials mostly dating from the first half of the 19th century. Here you get one of the best views of Edinburgh, taking in the entire panorama - the castle, Holyrood, Arthur's Seat, the Firth of Forth, the New Town and Princes St.
Royal Observatory
Directly south of the city centre on Blackford Hill, the observatory was moved here from Calton Hill in 1896. In the visitor centre there's a multimedia gallery with computers and CD ROMs on astronomy, and there are terrific views of Edinburgh from the rooftop.
Source: http://www.yahoo.com
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