George Street, Edinburgh
Encyclopedia
Situated to the north of Princes Street
, George Street is a major street in the centre of Edinburgh
, the capital of Scotland
. Laid out from 1767 as part of James Craig
's plan for the New Town
, George Street was named in honour of King George III
.
, and is one of the principal routes through the heart of the city, connecting Charlotte Square
at its west end and St Andrew Square to the east. It is bisected by many important thoroughfares, such as Frederick Street, Hanover Street and Castle Street
, that run in a north-south orientation between Princes Street to the south and Queen Street at the north of the heart of James Craig
's New Town
. George Street lies at a slightly higher elevation than Princes Street and Queen Street, to both of which it runs parallel. This is because much of the New Town is underlain by uneven glacial deposition.
housing the premises of banks, insurance brokers and investment
companies. However increasing rents and the agglomeration
of financial services at places like the large office development at Edinburgh Park
on the western periphery of the city and the Exchange District on brownfield land immediately adjacent to the western edge of the city centre, have seen its role as Edinburgh's main financial district much diminished. However, Standard Life
Investments retain office premises on the street, at its junction with St Andrew Square. Nowadays George Street is primarily a commercial zone, with buildings housing many shops, boutiques, cafes and bars along its length at street level. George Street is home to many upmarket pubs, clubs and bars. Offices still occupy many of the upper parts of the buildings that line the street.
(1787), St Andrew's and St George's Church
(1784), and others by David Rhind
(1808–83) and David Bryce
(1803–76) which were previously the headquarters of banks, such as the grand melange of Greek
and Roman
styles which now house The Dome
bar and night-club at No.14 (1847). The Church of Scotland Offices
are located at 121 George Street. The Northern Lighthouse Board
is headquartered in an elegant Georgian townhouse at 84 George Street. From this location it remotely controls over 400 lighthouse
s, beacon
s, buoy
s and other shipping aids around the coast of Scotland
and the Isle of Man
.
Princes Street
Princes Street is one of the major thoroughfares in central Edinburgh, Scotland, UK, and its main shopping street. It is the southernmost street of Edinburgh's New Town, stretching around 1 mile from Lothian Road in the west to Leith Street in the east. The street is mostly closed to private...
, George Street is a major street in the centre of Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
, the capital of Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. Laid out from 1767 as part of James Craig
James Craig (architect)
James Craig was a Scottish architect. His brief career was concentrated almost entirely in Edinburgh, and he is remembered primarily for his layout of the first Edinburgh New Town.-Date of birth:...
's plan for the New Town
New Town, Edinburgh
The New Town is a central area of Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. It is often considered to be a masterpiece of city planning, and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site...
, George Street was named in honour of King George III
George III of the United Kingdom
George III was King of Great Britain and King of Ireland from 25 October 1760 until the union of these two countries on 1 January 1801, after which he was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland until his death...
.
Geography
George Street lies to the north of central Edinburgh's main thoroughfare Princes StreetPrinces Street
Princes Street is one of the major thoroughfares in central Edinburgh, Scotland, UK, and its main shopping street. It is the southernmost street of Edinburgh's New Town, stretching around 1 mile from Lothian Road in the west to Leith Street in the east. The street is mostly closed to private...
, and is one of the principal routes through the heart of the city, connecting Charlotte Square
Charlotte Square
Charlotte Square is a city square in Edinburgh, Scotland, part of the New Town, designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The square is located at the west end of George Street, intended to mirror St. Andrew Square in the east.-History:Initially named St...
at its west end and St Andrew Square to the east. It is bisected by many important thoroughfares, such as Frederick Street, Hanover Street and Castle Street
Castle Street
Castle Street may be:* Castle Street, Bridgwater, England* Castle Street, Cambridge, England* Castle Street, Canterbury, England* Castle Street, Liverpool, England* Castle Street, Reading, England* Castle Street, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA...
, that run in a north-south orientation between Princes Street to the south and Queen Street at the north of the heart of James Craig
James Craig (architect)
James Craig was a Scottish architect. His brief career was concentrated almost entirely in Edinburgh, and he is remembered primarily for his layout of the first Edinburgh New Town.-Date of birth:...
's New Town
New Town, Edinburgh
The New Town is a central area of Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. It is often considered to be a masterpiece of city planning, and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site...
. George Street lies at a slightly higher elevation than Princes Street and Queen Street, to both of which it runs parallel. This is because much of the New Town is underlain by uneven glacial deposition.
Functions
In recent years, George Street has seen a major transformation in its functions. The street functioned as the centre of Edinburgh's financial districtEconomy of Edinburgh
Edinburgh, as the capital of Scotland, is usually regarded as one of the twin engines of the Scottish Economy alongside Glasgow. Edinburgh has been consistently one of the most prosperous parts of the country and has the strongest economy of any city in the UK outside London...
housing the premises of banks, insurance brokers and investment
Investment
Investment has different meanings in finance and economics. Finance investment is putting money into something with the expectation of gain, that upon thorough analysis, has a high degree of security for the principal amount, as well as security of return, within an expected period of time...
companies. However increasing rents and the agglomeration
Agglomeration
In the study of human settlements, an urban agglomeration is an extended city or town area comprising the built-up area of a central place and any suburbs linked by continuous urban area. In France, INSEE the French Statistical Institute, translate it as "Unité urbaine" which means continuous...
of financial services at places like the large office development at Edinburgh Park
Edinburgh Park
Edinburgh Park is a business park located in South Gyle, Edinburgh, Scotland. It is located to the west of the city, near Edinburgh Airport and the Edinburgh City Bypass. The layout of the park was masterplanned by American architect Richard Meier, and it opened in 1995...
on the western periphery of the city and the Exchange District on brownfield land immediately adjacent to the western edge of the city centre, have seen its role as Edinburgh's main financial district much diminished. However, Standard Life
Standard Life
Standard Life plc is a long term savings and investment business, with headquarters in Edinburgh and operations across the globe. It has 1.5 million shareholders in more than 50 countries and over 6 million customers.-History:...
Investments retain office premises on the street, at its junction with St Andrew Square. Nowadays George Street is primarily a commercial zone, with buildings housing many shops, boutiques, cafes and bars along its length at street level. George Street is home to many upmarket pubs, clubs and bars. Offices still occupy many of the upper parts of the buildings that line the street.
Notable buildings
The street is the site of several notable buildings including the Assembly RoomsAssembly Rooms (Edinburgh)
The Assembly Rooms is a former assembly rooms located in central Edinburgh, the rooms now host a number of events including the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and the Hogmanay celebrations. There are four rooms that are used year-round and are available for private functions: Music Hall, Ballroom,...
(1787), St Andrew's and St George's Church
St Andrew's and St George's Church
St Andrew's and St George's West Church serves Edinburgh's New Town, in Scotland. It is a congregation of the Church of Scotland. The parish today constitutes the whole of the First New Town of Edinburgh and a small part of the early 19th century Second New Town of Edinburgh...
(1784), and others by David Rhind
David Rhind
David Rhind was a Scottish architect, born in Edinburgh in 1808 to parents John Rhind and his wife Marion Anderson. David Rhind was married twice, to Emily Shoubridge in 1840, then Mary Jane Sackville-Pearson in 1845...
(1808–83) and David Bryce
David Bryce
David Bryce FRSE FRIBA RSA was a Scottish architect. Born in Edinburgh, he was educated at the Royal High School and joined the office of architect William Burn in 1825, aged 22. By 1841, Bryce had risen to be Burn's partner...
(1803–76) which were previously the headquarters of banks, such as the grand melange of Greek
Architecture of Ancient Greece
The architecture of Ancient Greece is the architecture produced by the Greek-speaking people whose culture flourished on the Greek mainland and Peloponnesus, the Aegean Islands, and in colonies in Asia Minor and Italy for a period from about 900 BC until the 1st century AD, with the earliest...
and Roman
Roman architecture
Ancient Roman architecture adopted certain aspects of Ancient Greek architecture, creating a new architectural style. The Romans were indebted to their Etruscan neighbors and forefathers who supplied them with a wealth of knowledge essential for future architectural solutions, such as hydraulics...
styles which now house The Dome
The Dome, Edinburgh
The Dome is a building on George Street in the New Town of Edinburgh, Scotland. It currently functions as a bar, restaurant and nightclub, although it was first built as the headquarters of the Commercial Bank of Scotland in 1847. The building was designed by David Rhind in a Graeco-Roman style...
bar and night-club at No.14 (1847). The Church of Scotland Offices
Church of Scotland Offices
The Church of Scotland offices are located in the centre of Edinburgh, Scotland at 121 George Street. These imposing buildings are popularly known in Church circles as "one-two-one". They were designed in a Scandinavian-influenced style by the architect Sydney Mitchell and built in 1909-1911 for...
are located at 121 George Street. The Northern Lighthouse Board
Northern Lighthouse Board
The Northern Lighthouse Board is the General Lighthouse Authority for Scotland and the Isle of Man. It is a non-departmental public body responsible for marine navigation aids around coastal areas.-History:...
is headquartered in an elegant Georgian townhouse at 84 George Street. From this location it remotely controls over 400 lighthouse
Lighthouse
A lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lenses or, in older times, from a fire, and used as an aid to navigation for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways....
s, beacon
Beacon
A beacon is an intentionally conspicuous device designed to attract attention to a specific location.Beacons can also be combined with semaphoric or other indicators to provide important information, such as the status of an airport, by the colour and rotational pattern of its airport beacon, or of...
s, buoy
Buoy
A buoy is a floating device that can have many different purposes. It can be anchored or allowed to drift. The word, of Old French or Middle Dutch origin, is now most commonly in UK English, although some orthoepists have traditionally prescribed the pronunciation...
s and other shipping aids around the coast of Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
and the Isle of Man
Isle of Man
The Isle of Man , otherwise known simply as Mann , is a self-governing British Crown Dependency, located in the Irish Sea between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, within the British Isles. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who holds the title of Lord of Mann. The Lord of Mann is...
.
See also
- Edinburgh New TownNew Town, EdinburghThe New Town is a central area of Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. It is often considered to be a masterpiece of city planning, and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site...
- Edinburgh Old TownOld Town, EdinburghThe Old Town of Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, is the medieval part of the city. Together with the 18th-century New Town, it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It has preserved its medieval plan and many Reformation-era buildings....
- Economy of EdinburghEconomy of EdinburghEdinburgh, as the capital of Scotland, is usually regarded as one of the twin engines of the Scottish Economy alongside Glasgow. Edinburgh has been consistently one of the most prosperous parts of the country and has the strongest economy of any city in the UK outside London...
- Edinburgh FringeEdinburgh FringeThe Edinburgh Festival Fringe is the world’s largest arts festival. Established in 1947 as an alternative to the Edinburgh International Festival, it takes place annually in Scotland's capital, in the month of August...