What people said about these 12 Edinburgh landmarks when they were built
With some referring to it as the “Golden Turd”, it's safe to say the boldly-designed hotel development is not going to be universally admired – but that’s nothing new.We’ve had a trawl through the archives to find out what city residents made of 12 well-loved Edinburgh landmarks at the time when they were constructed. Spoiler alert: the response wasn’t always positive.
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9. Usher Hall
Hard to believe today, but at the time of the Usher Hall’s inception, it had fierce critics, who believed the “amenity of the district would be destroyed”. One citizen remarked that the Lord Provost and architects responsible for the new build should be forced to occupy the houses at each side of the hall. Photo: Creative Commons
10. The National Monument
Now a much-loved tourist attraction, the National Monument didn’t receive its moniker “Edinburgh's Disgrace” for nothing. Built to honour the fallen of the Napoleonic Wars, the architects had intended for the structure to be a replica of the Parthenon of Athens, however, the funds ran dry and the work only partially completed. Photo: Creative Commons
11. The suburbs
Edinburgh expanded outwards in the 19th century with the creation of new suburbs and grand villas. A major critic of this growing trend was author Robert Louis Stevenson, who often wrote of his disgust at the city’s vanishing green and open spaces he knew from his childhood. Photo: Creative Commons
12. Waverley expansion
The plan to build the Edinburgh to Glasgow railway through Princes Street Gardens caused great controversy. Local residents led by heritage campaigner Lord Cockburn were in stern opposition to the proposals, which were debated at length in parliament. Photo: Creative Commons