Edinburgh’s name at least in its early stages is known to be derived from Scottish Gaelic Dùn Èideann, Dunedin or Din Eidyn ('fort of Eidyn'). Some people also believe it could have been from the Old English for "Edwin's fort" (7th century king Edwin of Northumbria) which is unlikely since the town predates the reign of King Edwin. The term burgh element means "fortress" or "walled group of buildings"

Early Beginnings

When Agricola ,Roman "Governor of Britain" reached the mouth of River Esk ( now Inveresk ) in AD79 he came upon the Celtic tribe of Votadinii who were based in Dunedin, probably the now Edinburgh Castle. It is evident that the Roman army, mostly made up of Celts (Gauls) from mainland Europe mixed with the locals. However in 410 they left Britain.

A United Scotland

By the sixth century Scotland was dominated by four main kingdoms, the Picts in the North, the Scots in the far west, the Britons in the west and the Angles to the South-East. The next two hundred years saw struggles and Viking raiders until the 9th century King of Dalraida, Kenneth MacAlpin fought to unite these kingdoms. The fruit of his labour was yielded and his grandson Duncan I, became the first King of Scotland in 1035.

Medieval and Renaissance Times

Most Scottish rulers of the times based in the north across the Forth, however King Malcolm III Canmore built his castle at Edinburgh, and his wife Saint Margaret built a chapel within (St. Margaret’s Chapel). The castle became one of the main seats of the court and gained privileged status as a royal burgh, and the surrounding town grew around it.

Along "The Royal Mile", a mile to the east, David I (her son) built the Abbey at Holyrood, later allowing its monks to found a separate burgh, known as Canongate. Between the East Castle and Abbey, a flourishing town blossomed, connected to the port Leith, Edinburgh trade-link to the world.

Edinburgh fell capture to the English during the Wars of Independence until Thomas Randolph, Robert the Bruce's nephew, in the dead of night climbed its precipitous sides and heroically recaptured it by. In 1329 granted Edinburgh was granted a Royal Charter status by Robert the Bruce, giving it jurisdiction over the nearby port of Leith. In the following century, foreign trade grew and fostered prosperity; enabling the newly fortified city to permanently establish itself as capital of Scotland.

The rule of James IV (1488 - 1513) brought about the city’s luminous Renaissance era. Apart from the construction of a new palace alongside Holyrood Abbey, the era also witnessed the granting of a royal charter to the College of Surgeons, amongst the beginnings of the city's long line of academic and professional bodies.

By the end of the 1500 Edinburgh grew steadily upwards and was recognized as the Capital of Scotland. The expanding number of inhabitants built high houses close to the protection of the Castle and ddue to space limitations the Old Town saw some of the earliest "high rise" residential buildings. Onwards from 1500s multi-storey residences known as lands were typical with one building even reaching fourteen stories. Most of the high tenement buildings can be seen to this day.

In 1603 when King James VI inherited the throne of England, Edinburgh was no more the principal site of the royal court, although it continued to have its own Parliament.

Georgian Edinburgh and Scottish “Enlightenment”

The 1707 Act of Union changed everything. Edinburgh ceased to have its own Parliament but the city continued to prosper. The Nor Loch, also known as the Nor' Loch and the North Loch, now occupied by Princes Street Gardens, was filled in and new streets and several thousand houses were planned and built in the Classical fashion. The energetic and expansive building which continued into the 1800’s resulted in one of the most architecturally beautiful city in the world.

The Scottish “Enlightenment” was the significant period in 18th century Scotland exemplified by significant intellectual and scientific accomplishments. Making it ironically incredible was that Scotland was considered among the poorest and most backward in Western Europe prior to that time.

In the second half of the 18th century Edinburgh reached the pinnacle of its intellectual influence, led by an exceptional scholarly group that including David Hume and Adam Smith.

Edinburgh Today

In 1997, following a referendum Scotland voted in favor of re-establishing its own parliament, and in July 1999, the Queen formally opened the parliament, it’s first since 1707.

Today its preserve of professionals, its assertion as a significant centre for finance, arts and research and extensive restoration work the city remains one of the most beautiful and historically interesting cities of not only Britain but also Europe.

In 1947 Edinburgh was chosen to host the great International Festival, the success and popularity of which has helped re-instate Edinburgh’s status as a prominent cultural centre.