Royal Mile Edinburgh photos, Scottish Capital buildings history, Architects, Old Town images

Royal Mile Edinburgh Architecture

Edinburgh’s most famous street, Scotland, UK

post updated 6 November 2023

The Royal Mile is a historic street in Edinburgh Old Town, stretching from the Castle to the Palace.

Royal Mile
photo © Adrian Welch

Royal Mile Architecture

Contents of this page: Royal Mile Architecture + Conference + History

Royal Mile Buildings: Edinburgh Old Town Architecture Tour
selection at base of this page

High Street Edinburgh
Royal Mile Edinburgh: historic plan, usage approved by Charles McKean

The famous Old Town ‘herringbone pattern’ drawing (above), shows the skeletal structure of the High Street. It’s backbone follows the glacial crag-and-tail ridge line from the volcanic plug of Edinburgh Castle rock down to the Palace of Holyroodhouse. There are hundreds of vennels or closes running off it.

Notable buildings on the Royal Mile include, from the top (west):- Edinburgh Castle, Parliament Square, St Giles Cathedral, Tron Kirk, John Knox’s House, Canongate Kirk, Scottish Parliament and the Palace of Holyroodhouse.

The Royal Mile is named Lawnmarket, High Street and Canongate from west to east. The street is mostly cobbled and used to be much wider, especially around St Giles Cathedral.

St Giles Cathedral: middle of Royal Mile
St Giles Cathedral
St Giles Cathedral photograph © Adrian Welch

Lady Stair’s House: top of Royal Mile
Lady Stair's House
Scottish Writers Museum picture © Adrian Welch

Riddle’s Court, towards the top end of the street:
Riddle’s Court Royal Mile Edinburgh
photo from EWHT

Edinburgh Castle: top of the High Street
Edinburgh Castle
Edinburgh Castle photograph © AW

Tron Kirk, Hunter Square, on the south side of the street, around its middle:
High Street Edinburgh
Tron Kirk Edinburgh image © AW

Gladstone’s Land – Lawnmarket, on the north side of the street, around the top end:
Gladstones Land Royal Mile Edinburgh
Old Town Merchant’s building photo © Adrian Welch

City Chambers – former CEC Headquarters, on the north side of the street, around its middle:
City Chambers Edinburgh
City Chambers property photo © AW

Edinburgh Court buildings
Edinburgh Court building
Edinburgh Court buildings photograph © AW

John Knox House Edinburgh – located in the middle of the High Street, on the north side:
Royal Mile historic building
John Knox House picture © AW

The Hub
The Hub Royal Mile Edinburgh
The Hub image from Ben Tindall Architects

Radisson Hotel Edinburgh
Royal Mile hotel
Radisson hotel building picture © AW

Canongate housing Royal Mile Edinburgh
Old Town Housing street frontage image © Adrian Welch

Holyrood North site – Holyrood Masterplan

Scottish Poetry Library

Under 5’s Centre

Former Royal Mile building – George IV building : middle of the High Street:
Former Royal Mile building
building photo © Adrian Welch

Royal Mile Edinburgh : Buildings

Primary School, Canongate
Canongate
Primary School photo © AW
Canongate School

79-121 Canongate
79-121 Canongate
79-121 Canongate photograph © AW

Whitefoord House
Whitefoord House
Whitefoord House picture © AW

Whitehorse Close
Whitehorse Close
Whitehorse Close photo © Adrian Welch
Whitehorse Close

Waterman House
Waterman House
Waterman House building photo © Adrian Welch

Scottish Capital Building Designs

Contemporary Scottish Capital Property Designs – recent architectural selection below:

BMA Scotland HQ
Design: John Robertson Architects (JRA)
Angela St Clair-Ford - British Medical Association HQ Edinburgh
image courtesy of architects office
British Medical Association HQ Edinburgh

Hotel Missoni Edinburgh

Royal Mile Regeneration : Comments from Cockburn Association Director, 2002

Royal Museum of Scotland

Edinburgh Restaurants

Royal Mile building – Palace of Holyroodhouse

Edinburgh Walking Tours – Scottish capital city walks – tailored and pre-booked

Buildings / photos for the Edinburgh Royal Mile Architecture in south east Scotland, United Kingdom, pages welcome