starling's User Profile - Atlas Obscura
Loading map...
Edinburgh, Scotland

Golfer's Land

A British plaque explains that a house was built using the spoils of the first international golf bet.
Edinburgh, Scotland

Eagle Rock

A remnant of the Roman army's presence on the coast of Scotland.
Musselburgh, Scotland

‘Memory and Reflection’

A shiny sculpture celebrating the mighty mollusk.
Edinburgh, Scotland

Altered Traffic Signs

An artist's whimsical transformation of everyday objects.
Edinburgh, Scotland

New Calton Cemetery Watchtower

Overlooking the burial ground is a tower designed to prevent thieves from snatching the recently deceased.
Edinburgh, Scotland

Queen Mary's Bath House

The building where Mary, Queen of Scots was said to have bathed in white wine.
Edinburgh, Scotland

The Scotsman Steps

The colorful stairs are made with marble from the world's major quarries.
Edinburgh, Scotland

David Hume's Statue

Touching this 18th-century Scottish philosopher’s toe allegedly conjures good fortune.
Edinburgh, Scotland

Museum of Childhood

The world’s first museum dedicated to the history of childhood opened in Edinburgh in 1955.
Edinburgh, Scotland

Greyfriars Bobby

The most loyal of little dogs, or a Victorian era publicity stunt?
Edinburgh, Scotland

Edinburgh Book Sculptures

Anonymously sculpted and donated, these sculptures made from poetry books and pages are sprinkled around the city.
Edinburgh, Scotland

The Great Hall Ceiling at the Scottish National Portrait Gallery

Sprawled across the Great Hall ceiling are various constellations and images relating to the zodiac.
Edinburgh, Scotland

Greyfriars Cemetery Mortsafes

Protecting the dead from opportunistic body snatchers.
Edinburgh, Scotland

The Writers' Museum

This small museum in a 17th-century building honors three iconic Scottish writers.
Edinburgh, Scotland

Library of Mistakes

A library where thousands of books explain how to avoid another Great Recession.
Edinburgh, Scotland

Museum of Edinburgh

This 16th-century house tells the city's history through old artifacts and quirky tales.
Edinburgh, Scotland

Wojtek the Soldier Bear Memorial

A statue in the heart of Edinburgh honors a bear that served in the Polish military during World War II.
Edinburgh, Scotland

The Heart of Midlothian

A sweet symbol marks the place where torturous executions were once carried out.
Edinburgh, Scotland

St. Bernard's Well

A beautiful Greco-Roman structure houses a well once believed to have healing powers.
Edinburgh, Scotland

Jacob's Ladder

This obscure walkway links Edinburgh’s Old Town with one of the city's prime vantage points.
Edinburgh, Scotland

Remains of Dolly the Sheep

The taxidermy remains of the first mammal ever cloned from an adult cell are on display in Edinburgh.
Edinburgh, Scotland

Beltane Fire Festival

Summer in Scotland begins with a spectacularly wild and colorful event rooted in ancient pagan traditions.
Edinburgh, Scotland

Cramond Ghost Island

Accessible only at low tide, the deserted island is dotted with World War II ruins.
Edinburgh, Scotland

Tolbooth Tavern

Now home to a drinking establishment, this building has a macabre history.