National Monument on Calton Hill - Edinburgh, Scotland, UK
Posted by: Groundspeak Premium Member PISA-caching
N 55° 57.275 W 003° 10.919
30U E 488636 N 6201039
The National Monument, designed by Charles Robert Cockerell, the first person receiving the Royal Gold Medal
Waymark Code: WM100YV
Location: Southern England, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 02/05/2019
Published By:Groundspeak Regular Member razalas
Views: 5

 

The National Monument of Scotland, on Calton Hill in Edinburgh, is Scotland's national memorial to the Scottish soldiers and sailors who died fighting in the Napoleonic Wars. It was intended, according to the inscription, to be "A Memorial of the Past and Incentive to the Future Heroism of the Men of Scotland".

The monument dominates the top of Calton Hill, just to the east of Princes Street. It was designed during 1823-6 by Charles Robert Cockerell and William Henry Playfair and is modelled upon the Parthenon in Athens. Construction started in 1826 and, due to the lack of funds, was left unfinished in 1829. This circumstance gave rise to various nicknames such as "Scotland's Disgrace", "Edinburgh's Disgrace", "the Pride and Poverty of Scotland" and "Edinburgh's Folly".

Source and further information: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Monument_of_Scotland

There's an information board that provides the following information:

The National Monument

Built: 1822-29
Architect: C.R. Cockerell and William H. Playfair

The National Monument commemorates the Scottish soldiers who died during the Napoleonic Wars of 1803-1815.

By the late 18th century Edinburgh was enjoying a remarkable reputation as a city of intellectual brilliance and beautiful architecture. Many new public buildings were built at great expense in the Greek neo-classical style. The National Monument, based on the Parthenon in Athens, kept up the tradition, but when the funds ran out in 1829 work ground to a halt and the monument was never completed.

The buildings on Calton Hill were instrumental in gaining the city the title of 'The Athens of the North'.

Architect: Charles Robert Cockerell

Prize received: RIBA Royal Gold Medal

In what year: 1848

Website about the Architect: [Web Link]

Website about the building: [Web Link]

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