Edinburgh, against the appearance, is not the biggest city of Scotland. But it's still its capital. Although Glasgow is the biggest Scottish town it's a typical industrial town, that's why it wouldn't be the best place to represent Scotland in the world.
Edinburgh has become a capital of Scotland in 1437 year, and since 1999 it is also a base of Scottish Parliament. Due to its closeness to England Edinburgh was during hundreds of years attacked by English army. Scottish people who wanted to feel safer had built defensive walls. They were functioning till XVIII-century when Scotland united with England as a supreme country. Political life has stopped, London was major town those days. But cultural life was in its best.
In late XVIII-century town was divided into two parts - old and new. Those part were splitt by Princess Street Gardens. In XIX century the old town was devastated by a huge fire. Nowadays its a heart of medieval part of Edinburgh where most important monuments of Scotland are situated like in example Holyrood Palace, St Giles Cathedral and John Knox's house. The main street of this part of Edinburgh is Royal Mile that connects Edinburgh Castle and Holyrood Palace. It's a main point of tourists trips.
On the other site of the Princess Street Gardens we have New Town. It was created because of conditions that people lived in in Old Town. And in the old part of the town fires were very common. It was because all street there were narrow and the fire had an easy way to go farther. Most people that lived in New Town were wealthy and could effort that. An exclusive houses were built and government buildings. In the New Town we can find most famous street of Scotland - The Princess Street. Thanks to the beautiful view on the castle and gardens it has gathered its fame.
Edinburgh is town that combines all the best qualities of big but not to big towns - it has quite developed cultural/social life and also has an interesting history, great people and many fantastic things to see.
