Stately and Gothic, the Scott Monument stands tall at 200 feet 6 inches (61.11 meters) in Edinburgh, a testament to the great Scottish author, Sir Walter Scott. Built between 1841 and 1844, the monument was erected as a tribute. The nearby Edinburgh Waverley Railway Station was named after Scott's Waverley novels. Yet, the price for this enduring symbol was steep, with one half of the whole number of masons employed dying of phthisis, the lung disease caused by the fine dust released during the carving process.
Today, the Scott Monument, crowned by a statue of Scott and his dog Maida, resides in the eastern part of Princes Street Gardens, serving as a striking backdrop to the Old Town. Carved into its stone are 64 figures from Scott’s novels, the work of various Scottish sculptors. After restoration in the early 1990s, the monument now features a new LED lighting system that casts a warm glow during the night.
Summer 2026 marks the 180th anniversary of the monument. To celebrate, free tickets for twelve people every day will be made available from 10 to 17 August, giving more people the chance to experience the monument's spectacular views or learn more about the life and legacy of Sir Walter Scott.
Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons
Written by Nicolo Ciampini
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