The contrast between the organic medieval Old Town and the planned Georgian New Town provides a clarity of urban structure unrivalled in Europe. That contrast between these two distinctive townscapes, each of exceptional historic and architectural interest, which are linked across the landscape divide, by the North Bridge and by the Mound, creates the outstanding urban landscape.

The Old Town stretches along a high ridge from the Castle on its dramatically situated rock down to the Palace of Holyrood. It is characterised by the survival of the little‐altered medieval “fishbone” street pattern of narrow closes, wynds, and courts.

The national tradition of building tall on narrow plots created some of the world’s tallest buildings of their age.

Gladstone’s Land, the Canongate Tolbooth and St Giles’ Cathedral are distinctive buildings here.

The New Town, constructed between 1767 and 1890, is framed by an uncommonly high concentration of planned ensembles of ashlar‐faced, world‐class, neo‐classical buildings, associated with renowned architects, including John and Robert Adam, Sir William Chambers, and William Playfair.

Integrated with the townscape are gardens that provide private and public open spaces. Some of the finest public and commercial monuments of the neo‐classical revival in Europe survive, reflecting its continuing status as the capital of Scotland since 1437, and a major centre of thought and learning in the 18th century Age of Enlightenment, with its close cultural and political links with mainland Europe.

The New Town set standards for Scotland and beyond, and exerted a major influence on the development of urban architecture and town planning throughout Europe.