The Scott Monument, Princes Street, Edinburgh
by Yvonne Johnstone
Title
The Scott Monument, Princes Street, Edinburgh
Artist
Yvonne Johnstone
Medium
Photograph - Photography
Description
Standing in a public garden in Princes Street is the striking monument to one of Scotland's best-loved writers, Sir Walter Scott.
At the base of the Monument is a statue of Scott with his favourite deerhound Maida, sculpted from Carrara marble by Sir John Steell and set on a platform of huge stone steps.
The Monument stands just over 200 feet high, and is decorated with carved figures of characters from Scott's novels. 287 steps lead to an observation platform near the top for superb views over the city.
The Monument was designed by George Meikle Kemp (1795 - 1844). His inspiration was taken from the medieval architecture of Melrose Abbey in the Borders and Rosslyn Chapel, just outside Edinburgh. Kemp was a surprising choice, for he was not an architect but a carpenter. Yet his neo-Gothic design beat the competition from established architects and was selected by the panel of judges. Tragically, Kemp drowned in the Union Canal before the Scott Monument was finished.
The Monument was begun on 15 August 1840 and officially opened exactly 8 years later. The structure was built just as the new science of photography was being invented, and some of the earliest known photographs ever taken show the Monument being built.
Uploaded
July 15th, 2019
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