The Edinburgh Vaults or South Bridge Vaults are a series of chambers formed in the nineteen arches of the South Bridge in Edinburgh, Scotland, was part of the South Bridge Act 1785 and was completed in 1788.
How were the Edinburgh Vaults built?
To maximise space further, floors and ceilings were built beneath the blocked-in arches constructing dark, airless, vaulted chambers. These areas were originally used as workshops for the businesses above while the vaults below ground level were used for storage.
Why are there vaults in Edinburgh?
The History Of Edinburgh’s Underground Vaults:
Overpopulation was a major problem, and vaults were seen as a solution to put the poor underground so the city could use more space. The subterranean caverns became like a second underground city — sometimes three- and four-storeys deep.
How old is Edinburgh underground city?
Buried below ground, this network of narrow alleyways and abandoned houses has been lying beneath the Royal Mile since the 17th century.
When was Edinburgh South Bridge built?
The bridge was completed in 1788. It is constructed of nineteen arches, but is almost entirely enclosed by buildings on both sides, exposing only the largest arch where the street crosses the Cowgate. Below deck level are many buildings and vaults, the latter are now something of a tourist attraction.
How old are the Edinburgh Vaults?
The Edinburgh Vaults or South Bridge Vaults are a series of chambers formed in the nineteen arches of the South Bridge in Edinburgh, Scotland, was part of the South Bridge Act 1785 and was completed in 1788.
Can you visit Edinburgh vaults?
This vaults tour takes you beneath the streets of Edinburgh’s Old Town into a dimly lit space that many considered to be haunted. Your 1-hour tour visits the vaults of the South Bridge that date back to the 1700s. These are the same vaults mentioned on Most Haunted Live as one of the scariest places on earth.
Is there a city underneath Edinburgh?
Descend into a section of Edinburgh’s legendary Underground City, where a population once lived in utter misery. Forgotten for centuries and only recently unsealed, this part of the vaults is known as Damnation Alley.
Is there an underground system in Edinburgh?
While going about a regular day in Edinburgh, you may not notice any clues as to what lies beneath the cobbled streets. Beneath bus wheels and the whirring of car engines are a series of vaults hundreds of years old. These are the Blair Street Underground Vaults and they are located below the city’s South Bridge.
Did Edinburgh ever have an underground?
Edinburgh’s lost ‘Innocent Railway’ was the first ever underground line built in Scotland. The St Leonards Tunnel, built between 1827 and 1830, is used today by locals as a thoroughfare for runners and cyclists, but its historic beginnings are sometimes forgotten.
What is the oldest thing in Edinburgh?
St Margaret’s Chapel, in Edinburgh Castle, is the oldest surviving building in Edinburgh, Scotland. An example of Romanesque architecture, it is a category A listed building. It was constructed in the 12th century, but fell into disuse after the Reformation.
What is the oldest part of Edinburgh?
Old Town
Explore the Royal Mile
This is the oldest area of Edinburgh, where the city was first built, and remains the heart of Edinburgh – it was even declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1995. You will notice that the layout of Edinburgh’s Old Town is quite unusual, because of the land that it is built on.
What is the oldest pub in Edinburgh?
The White Heart is situated on Edinburgh’s Grassmarket and said to be the oldest pub in Edinburgh. Not only the oldest, but the most haunted, there have been many sightings from tourists as well as staff who certainly have a few creepy stories to share!
What is the oldest house in Edinburgh?
The oldest occupied residential building in Edinburgh, parts of Moubray House are thought to date back to the 1470s. The English writer Daniel Defoe stayed here in the aftermath of the Treaty of Union in 1707.
What is the oldest bridge in Scotland?
Considered to be the oldest bridge in Scotland, legend has it that Bishop Henry Cheyne started work on the Brig o’Balgowrie towards the end of the 13th Century and that Robert the Bruce completed it.
Is Edinburgh Catholic or Protestant?
It is one of Scotland’s most diverse cities and a location for dispersal of asylum seekers and also the Roma/Slovakian community in Govanhill. The city has been substantial inward Irish migration over many generations, mainly Catholic but with a substantial Ulster Protestant element, particularly in Glasgow.
How long does the Edinburgh Vaults last?
This 60-minute adults-only tour is a chilling way to explore Edinburgh after dark. Head underground for an unsettling introduction to the city’s unpleasant past. These tales are not fit for the glare of daylight or for telling to those under 18.
How many Edinburgh vaults are there?
Constructed from 1785 onwards, the bridge consists of 19 arches, only one of which, the Cowgate arch, is visible, the other 18 are all hidden by buildings on either side. Between each of these 18 arches exists a system of vaults.
What is buried under the mound Edinburgh?
The world’s largest electric blanket is under The Mound
Another completely YES REALLY fact for you – an “Electric Blanket” was installed under the surface of the roadway of The Mound in 1959 to keep the road clear of snow and ice as it was impossible to get up in poor weather conditions.
Was Harry Potter shot in Edinburgh?
Edinburgh was not actually used as a filming location for any of the Harry Potter movies; however, it was the city where J.K. Rowling wrote many of the Harry Potter books and she has lived here since 1993. There are many locations across the city that will be of interest to Harry Potter fans.
Is Edinburgh in Harry Potter?
Even though the location of Hogwarts has never been officially determined, many people believe that J.K. Rowling based the magical school on George Heriot’s School in Edinburgh’s city centre.