Scott Monument

The Scott Monument is a Gothic spire in East Princes Street Gardens on Princes Street in Edinburgh, Scotland, built in 1846 to honour the novelist Sir Walter Scott. It rises 61 metres (200 feet) beside the main shopping street, and its dark, intricately carved stonework is one of the most recognisable features of the New Town. The structure is ornamented with statues of characters from Scott's novels and figures from Scottish history, and a marble statue of Scott with his dog sits at the base beneath the central arch. Visitors who buy a ticket from the kiosk can climb 287 steps up a narrow spiral staircase to a top viewing platform, with a smaller platform halfway up. From the top, the view takes in Edinburgh Castle, the Old Town skyline, Princes Street Gardens and, on a clear day, the Firth of Forth beyond. The climb takes roughly 30 to 45 minutes including time on the platform, and only a limited number of people are allowed up at a time, so a queue forms at busy periods. The stairs are very narrow and steep, with two-way passing in places, so the climb is not suited to anyone with limited mobility or a fear of heights or confined spaces. A clear morning gives the best visibility and softer light across the Old Town, while the monument closes in high wind, so checking opening details on the Edinburgh Museums website is sensible. Opening hours run from about 10:00 until mid-afternoon in winter and later in summer. From the ground, the best photographs of the spire are from the gardens on the north side and from the bridges and viewpoints on the Mound, where the monument is framed against the castle rock. The monument is a five-minute walk from Waverley station and sits at the edge of the gardens, so it combines easily with a stroll to the Scottish National Gallery.