Grassmarket

Approx. Time: 1 hours
Activity Level: Easiest

For at least 500 years the Grassmarket has been an important focal point of the Old Town. It has been a trading place since the earliest times. The first written record of a market there is in 1477, and the tradition of this weekly event survived into the early years of the present century. By that time, a greatly expanded city and modern trading practices dictated the need for purpose-built markets outwith the confines of the city center. One of the most attractive things about the Grassmarket today is that it is immediately recognizable as a market-place. Buildings rise up on all four sides, enclosing a large open area overlooked by the towering castle. An examination of paintings of old Edinburgh shows that the historic Grassmarket has always been a favorite spot for artists in search of the picturesque.

Courtesy of the British Tourist Authority

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