As part of our celebrations to mark 150 years of the Edinburgh Evening News, we’ve taken a look back at the big events that shaped Edinburgh since our publication was founded in 1873.
So many landmark moments have taken place in the Capital since then, including the creation of Edinburgh’s two premier football clubs Hearts and Hibs, the Cowgate fire in 2002, two Papal visits, Hearts players fighting in the First World War, the restoration of the Scottish Parliament and the signing of the Edinburgh Agreement in 2012 for the terms of the 2014 Scottish Independence Referendum.
Other iconic events include the opening of Central Library in 1890, the Zeppelin bombing of the city in 1916, Potobello joining Edinburgh in 1896 and Leith following in 1920, despite locals voting against it. The city has also welcomed the Commonwealth Games twice, in 1970 and 1986.
Other iconic events include the opening of Central Library in 1890, the Zeppelin bombing of the city in 1916, Potobello joining Edinburgh in 1896 and Leith following in 1920, despite locals voting against it. The city has also welcomed the Commonwealth Games twice, in 1970 and 1986.
5. Zeppelin raids
On the night of April 2/3,1916 two German airships, the L14 and the L22, dropped 23 bombs on Leith and Edinburgh. Reinhard Scheer had been appointed commander in chief of the German fleet at the end of February 1916 and, anxious to provoke the Royal Navy, he attacked the British mainland, using surface ships, submarines and airships in a combined operation. During the raid, 13 people died and 24 were injured. A proprietary map was marked by Edinburgh's Burgh Engineer to indicate bomb impact sites following the Zeppelin raid of April 2nd/3rd 1916. This copy shows the route of L14 (from the right) across the Edinburgh Dock at Leith and then turning south to follow the Water of Leith citywards. Note the concentration of bombs immediately adjacent to Leith Hospital, towards the bottom of the map. Photo: Sandy Mullay/ Edinburgh City Archives
The Edinburgh International Festival is an annual arts festival spread over the final three weeks in August. Notable figures from the international world of music (especially classical music) and the performing arts are invited to join the festival. Visual art exhibitions, talks and workshops are also hosted.
The first 'International Festival of Music and Drama' took place between August 22 and September 11, 1947. Under the first festival director, the distinguished Austrian-born impresario Rudolf Bing, it had a broadly-based programme, covering orchestral, choral and chamber music, opera, ballet, drama, film, and Scottish 'piping and dancing' on the Esplanade of Edinburgh Castle, a structure that was followed in subsequent years.
The Festival has taken place every year since 1947, except for 2020 when it was cancelled due to the COVID-19 Pandemic.A scaled-back version of the festival was held in 2021 before the festival returned in full the following year. Pictured are Walter Carr, John Grieve and Gregor Fisher as the Thrie Vices in Ane Satyre of the Thrie Estaitis at the Assembly Hall, Edinburgh International Festival, August 1984 Photo: Alan MacDonald
Before the Treaty of Union 1707 united the Kingdom of Scotland and the Kingdom of England into a new state called Great Britain, Scotland had an independent parliament known as the Parliament of Scotland. Initial Scottish proposals in the negotiation over the Union suggested a devolved Parliament be retained in Scotland, but this was not accepted by the English negotiators.
For the next 300 years, Scotland was directly governed by the Parliament of Great Britain and the subsequent Parliament of the United Kingdom, both seated at Westminster in London. In September 1997, the Scottish devolution referendum was put to the Scottish electorate and secured a majority in favour of the establishment of a new devolved Scottish Parliament, with tax-varying powers, in Edinburgh. An election was held on 6 May 1999, and on 1 July of that year power was transferred from Westminster to the new Parliament. The parliament sat at The General Assembly Hall of the Church of Scotland at the Mound in Edinburgh until the new parliament building was opened at Holyrood in 2004, where the Scottish Parliament has sat since. Photo: Christopher Furlong/ Getty
The Cowgat fire, which started on the evening of December 7, 2002, was caused by just one spark from a malfunctioning fuse box and caused devastation as fire spread up eight stories from the fragile Cowgate close on to South Bridge. Flames and smoke flooded through 11 buildings including the popular La Belle Angele nightclub, above which the fire reportedly started, the Gilded Balloon comedy club, Leisureland Arcade as well as the University of Edinburgh School of Informatics.
The narrow, maze-like architecture of Old Town buildings, although magnificent and UNESCO protected for good reason, caused extreme difficulty for fire crews. More than 80 Edinburgh firefighters fought tirelessly for 20 hours to control the blaze from spreading to other significant buildings but it took a further 52 hours before the fire was fully extinguished.
In the wake of the dusty rubble, people mourned for the historic burnt buildings. The debris and destruction of the scorched area was cleared soon after. However, numerous businesses were permanently damaged and many residents left displaced. But in 2014, among other developments, iconic nightclub La Belle Angele which was mostly destroyed in the fire, re-opened. Having once hosted Oasis and The Libertines, it was welcomed back onto Edinburgh’s nightlife scene. Photo: National World