Edinburgh’s New Town is a fascinating exploration of the city’s architectural and cultural heritage. Narrated by an expert, this self-guided audio tour delves into the design principles, classical facades, and innovative features that defined this planned Georgian district. It also examines the connections between the New Town’s development and the transatlantic slave trade, shedding light on the complex relationship between preservation and progress. This immersive walking experience provides an insightful glimpse into the Scottish Enlightenment and the economic forces that shaped Edinburgh’s iconic cityscape. There’s more to discover about the architecture of money in this captivating tour.
Key Points
- The audio tour explores the architecture and design of Edinburgh’s Georgian New Town, which was shaped by the wealth and prosperity of the Scottish Enlightenment.
- The tour examines the classical facades, innovative features, and harmonious design principles that guided the development of the planned urban landscape.
- The tour delves into the connections between prominent New Town residents and the transatlantic slave trade, highlighting the complex relationship between architecture, wealth, and ethics.
- The tour reflects on the cultural and economic forces that drove the New Town’s development, including the tensions between preservation and progress.
- The self-guided nature of the tour, enhanced by GPS-enabled playback, provides an immersive walking experience that brings the history and architecture of the New Town to life.
Tour Overview
This self-guided audio tour offers a 1.5-hour exploration of Edinburgh’s New Town, led by architecture tutor and designer Olga Gogoleva.
The tour provides an immersive walking experience enhanced by GPS-enabled playback.
As you stroll through the classical beauty of the Georgian-era buildings, you’ll discover the making of the world’s largest planned Georgian town.
The tour delves into the cultural and economic context of the Scottish Enlightenment, examining architectural details like fanlights and ironwork.
Whether you’re an architecture enthusiast or simply curious about Edinburgh’s rich history, this self-guided experience promises to offer fascinating insights into the city’s architectural heritage.
Architectural Highlights
Throughout the tour, you’ll explore the design principles that guided the New Town’s development, from the classical beauty of its Georgian facades to the innovative architectural features that defined this planned urban landscape.
You’ll examine one of the first semi-detached houses in Scotland, an early example of this unique housing type.
Along the way, you’ll discover a favorite urban sequence in Edinburgh, where the choreographed progression of buildings, streets, and open spaces creates a captivating visual experience.
On top of that, you’ll understand how the New Town’s design principles, such as symmetry and proportion, were applied to shape this 18th-century masterplan and establish Edinburgh’s reputation as a city of elegance and sophistication.
Georgian New Town Development
The 1767 masterplan by architect James Craig laid the foundations for Edinburgh’s impressive Georgian New Town, a meticulously planned urban landscape that would soon become one of the largest and most ambitious developments of its kind in 18th-century Europe.
Craig’s vision followed the principles of symmetry, proportion, and balance, creating a grid-like network of grand, wide streets lined with uniform terraces of elegant townhouses.
Over the following decades, the New Town emerged as a symbol of Scottish Enlightenment and a testament to the country’s newfound wealth and prosperity.
Exploring its classical facades and harmonious urban design, visitors can still sense the ambition and aspirations that drove this remarkable transformation of Edinburgh’s cityscape.
Sandstone Facades and Demolitions
While the elegant facades of the New Town’s Georgian architecture have endured, the passage of time hasn’t spared all of its original buildings from demolition. Over the centuries, developers have razed numerous structures to make way for new construction, chipping away at the integrity of the original masterplan.
Despite these losses, the remaining sandstone-clad buildings still bear the soot-blackened traces of Edinburgh’s industrial past, serving as a tangible link to the city’s rich architectural heritage.
The tour examines the extent of these demolitions, discussing how the cultural and economic forces that drove the New Town’s development also led to the gradual erosion of its original form over time. Visitors can observe these changes firsthand and ponder the complex relationship between preservation and progress.
Slavery Connections in New Town
Edinburgh’s New Town didn’t just represent architectural grandeur – its very foundations were intertwined with the wealth generated from the transatlantic slave trade. Many of the aristocratic families who financed the development profited directly from the exploitation of enslaved Africans, investing their fortunes into constructing the elegant Georgian facades that remain today.
This unsavory history is explored on the tour, inviting visitors to consider the complex socioeconomic context that enabled the New Town’s creation.
The tour delves into:
- The connections between prominent New Town residents and the slave trade
- How the wealth from slavery shaped the district’s urban planning and design
- The lasting impact of this history on Edinburgh’s modern cultural landscape
- Reflections on the ethical dilemmas posed by appreciating Georgian architecture’s beauty.
Immersive Walking Experience
This self-guided audio tour offers an immersive walking experience, with GPS-enabled playback guiding visitors through Edinburgh’s iconic New Town.
Olga Gogoleva’s narration brings the district’s rich architectural history to life, inviting explorers to examine the classical details and design principles that shaped one of the world’s largest planned Georgian urban areas.
As you stroll through the picturesque streets, the tour seamlessly syncs with your location, ensuring you don’t miss a beat.
Whether it’s the intricate ironwork, elegant fanlights, or the unique semi-detached houses, this experience allows you to truly appreciate the architectural wonders that define Edinburgh’s New Town.
The GPS-powered tour creates a captivating and informative journey, immersing you in the city’s grand Georgian past.
Architectural Tutor and Designer
According to the tour overview, Olga Gogoleva, an architecture tutor and designer, leads this self-guided audio experience that explores the architectural history and design of Edinburgh’s New Town. Gogoleva brings her expertise to the tour, guiding listeners through the classical beauty and Georgian past of this planned urban area.
As an educator and designer, she offers unique insights, including:
- Examining the design principles that guided the New Town’s development.
- Discussing the cultural and economic context of the Scottish Enlightenment.
- Exploring the connection between New Towners’ fortunes and the slave trade.
- Explaining why Edinburgh’s iconic sandstone facades remain blackened over time.
With Gogoleva’s knowledgeable narration, the tour provides an immersive, architectural exploration of Edinburgh’s New Town.
Tour Details and Access
The self-guided audio tour is available through the VoiceMap app, allowing users to download the content and access it offline during the 1.5-hour experience.
Listeners can start the tour outside the City Chambers on the Royal Mile, following the GPS-enabled playback for an immersive walking experience through Edinburgh’s New Town.
The tour is led by architecture tutor and designer Olga Gogoleva, providing insightful commentary on the classical beauty and Georgian past of this planned neighborhood.
The audio tour is available in English only, and it explores the architectural history, design principles, and cultural context that shaped the development of one of the world’s largest planned Georgian towns.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is the Cost of the Self-Guided Audio Tour?
The self-guided audio tour doesn’t have a listed price. It’s available for download through the VoiceMap app, which may require a subscription or one-time fee, but the specifics aren’t provided in the tour overview.
Is the Tour Available in Languages Other Than English?
The tour is currently available only in English, according to the provided details. The tour does not offer audio narration in any other languages at this time. Visitors who only speak languages other than English may not be able to fully enjoy the experience.
Can the Tour Be Accessed on a Smartphone or Tablet?
The tour can be accessed on a smartphone or tablet. Users download the VoiceMap app to access the audio, maps, and directions for the self-guided walking tour, which provides an immersive experience as they explore Edinburgh’s New Town.
Is There a Specific Time of Day When the Tour Runs?
The tour is self-guided and can be accessed at any time using the VoiceMap app on a smartphone or tablet. There’s no specific time when the tour runs – you can take it whenever it’s convenient for you.
Is There a Guided Version of the Tour Available?
No, there isn’t a guided version of this tour available. The tour is self-guided, using the VoiceMap app to provide the audio commentary and directions for a walking experience through Edinburgh’s New Town. Participants explore the architecture at their own pace.
Recap
Edinburgh’s New Town audio tour offers a captivating exploration of the city’s architectural heritage.
Delving into the connections between design, commerce, and colonial legacies, it provides an insightful glimpse into the forces that shaped this iconic district.
This immersive walking experience invites visitors to uncover the complex narratives woven into the very fabric of Edinburgh’s urban landscape.
