Grassmarket & Victoria Street
Historic Cowgate and Candlemaker Row
The streets in this part of the Old Town are intricate and lack the symmetry of the New Town. You can almost picture the hustle and bustle of the local market and fair. Other streets spanning out from the Grassmarket are:
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Cowgate
This street, as the name suggests, is the route where cattle were brought from their grazing into Edinburgh and the Grassmarket. It was originally a fashionable area but probably due to its location, low beneath George IV and South Bridge, it did not benefit from the original restoration programs that breathed life into the Old Town in the 19th century.
One of the most notable buildings on the Cowgate is Magdalen Chapel, the only church to have a stained glass window that survived the Reformation that swept through Scotland in the 16th century.
At the moment, several hotels, pubs and hostels can be found on the Cowgate. The most recent incident to have occurred on the Cowgate is the 2002 fire where many old buildings were badly damaged, including the Gilded Balloon.
Candlemaker Row
This street is best known for Greyfriars bar and Kirk. It's short but quite steep to climb. One of the best views in the Old Town is from the traffic island in the middle of Candlemaker Row: Grassmarket buildings with Edinburgh Castle rising proudly from behind.
Candlemaker Row can also be used as access point to two of the best museums in Edinburgh. The Royal Museum and the Museum of Scotland are both located on Chambers Street and the rooftop cafe of the latter gives great views towards the Old Town of Edinburgh.
>> Back to Grassmarket & Victoria Street guide index
All Grassmarket and Victoria Street articles:
Cowgate, Candlemaker Row Description of two historic streets linked from the Grassmarket.
Photos of the Grassmarket Photos of Edinburgh Old Town streets including the Grassmarket, Victoria Street, Cowgate and Candlemaker Row.
Grassmarket and Victoria Street on the web Links to other web pages related to the Grassmarket area of Edinburgh.
Also see:
Ghost walks in the Old Town Tourist information on day and evening ghost tours in Edinburgh's Old Town
Edinburgh Dungeon Information on the popular family attraction offering a chilling and graphic account of the most gruesome episodes in the history of Edinburgh
Edinburgh attractions and sightseeing All of the best attractions in Edinburgh plus pictures and sightseeing tips.
