Tag: World Heritage

Help us Celebrate World Heritage Day 2019 in the Old and New Towns of Edinburgh

world-heritage-day-2018
Image © HES: World Heritage Day 2018, Kelvingrove Museum and Gallery, Glasgow

If you are passing by the Tron Kirk on the Royal Mile on Thursday 18 April, come in and explore the Our World Heritage exhibition which gives visitors an insight into what makes Old and New Towns of Edinburgh World Heritage Site, and each of Scotland’s other World Heritage Sites so special and why they are internationally recognised.

After you have visited the exhibition why not stay on for a variety of fun and interesting activities on offer on World Heritage Day:

  • Discover more about real people who lived in Old and New Towns of Edinburgh in the 18th century through our Auld Reekie handling box
  • Try out brass rubbing
  • Make your very own mini 18th century replica sedan chair
  • Visit our World Heritage stall to learn about all of Scotland’s World Heritage Sites
  • To further celebrate World Heritage Day, Edinburgh World Heritage will host their annual World Heritage Day lecture. This year the pre-eminent historian Professor Sir Tom Devine, will deliver ‘Victorian Edinburgh Powerhouse of the Empire?’ For further details please visit the EWH website

Councillor Neil Gardiner, Planning Convener, said: “We’re really proud of our World Heritage Sites in Edinburgh. I would encourage residents and visitors alike to pop in to the Tron Kirk and learn more about our city’s rich heritage. There’s lots of activities planned for all ages and its events like this that help encourage us all to make sure we look after these historic sites for generations to come.”

Friendly and knowledgeable staff from Historic Environment Scotland and City of Edinburgh Council will be on hand to have a chat or answer any questions.

Drop-in from 10am to 4pm on 18 April to enjoy the above activities.

The exhibition is open during the Tron Kirk’s normal opening times.

Strategy for Setted Streets

Stone setts add significant historic and cultural value to the streets of Edinburgh and are an important feature of our cityscape.

The City of Edinburgh Council has a duty to protect the Old and New Towns of Edinburgh World Heritage Site, Conservation Areas and other historic parts of the city. This protection includes the setting of Edinburgh’s many listed buildings, where setted streets are an integral part of their identity and authenticity.

Setted surface looking West along Dean Park Crescent
Setted Comely Bank Avenue looking South
Setted surface looking East along St. Bernard’s Crescent

When they are not properly maintained, setted streets can have implications for walking, cycling and driving. Damaged setts are often replaced with alternative materials like tarmac as a temporary solution. This can result in an unsightly and uncared for appearance.

Tarmacked corner of Learmonth Place and Comely Bank Grove
Setted surface looking West up Dean Park Crescent
Tarmacked surface looking West towards Edinburgh Castle on Market Street

We are working in partnership with Edinburgh World Heritage and Historic Environment Scotland to develop a strategy for the protection and maintenance of setted streets.

Have your say

To help inform the strategy we’d like to know what you think about setted streets and their value to the city. We are also interested to know what issues you think setted streets can have on our movement.

You can give us your views until Wednesday 11 October 2017.

World Heritage and Conservation Areas at the Meadows Festival – 3 and 4 June 2017

World Heritage at the Meadows Festival

This weekend is the Meadows Festival!  The World Heritage Team will have a stall to promote the Old and New Towns of Edinburgh World Heritage Site.  There will be information about the Site with cool maps, information leaflets on conservation of historic properties and activities for our younger visitors.  We’ll be at the festival on both days and are keen to get your views on the draft management plan for the World Heritage Site.

Fingers crossed for some sunshine and we hope to see you there!

World Heritage Day 2017

Promoting diversity of cultural heritage of humanity, their vulnerability and the efforts required for their protection and conservation… or something like that idk.

Emma’s blog post #5: World Heritage Day 2017

World Heritage Day 2017 is on Tuesday 18th April, and there’s an event you should go to at the National Museum of Scotland. It starts at 10, and runs through til 4 with workshops on the Old and New Towns of Edinburgh (which make the Edinburgh World Heritage site). There’ll be loaaaaaaads of stuff to do; Victorian materials, a brass rubbing map of the New Town, some World Heritage-related music… I’m also told there’ll be colouring involved. Get HYPED.

The event will also give you an opportunity to talk about the consultation for the Old and New Towns Management Plan, so you can help us manage the World Heritage Site.

You can learn about the statue of David Hume, on the High Street. It’s become a superstition that rubbing Hume’s right foot will bring good luck. Which is ironic, given that Hume believed logical thought is an answer to superstitious beliefs.

Or about the Sir Walter Scott Monument, the biggest monument to any writer in the world.

ORRRR you could find out about the ears of the Alexander and Bucephalus statue in the City Chambers courtyard. You wouldn’t think ears would be interesting. But you’d be wrong.

 

So do go to the event on Tuesday, it sounds like it’ll be good.

As such, I’ll be getting involved in the World Heritage Hour twitter event later on Tuesday, between 18:04 and 19:04. The theme: ‘tell us 5 extra-special things about your WHS’. Get involved even from the comfort of your own home, people, and use the hashtag #WHSHour so we can all appreciate Edinburgh World Heritage ~*together*~.

Also, follow @planningedin on Twitter or Instagram ok thanks.

Emma

Draft Management Plan for the Old and New Towns of Edinburgh World Heritage Site … have your say!

Consultation is now open for feedback on the draft Old and New Towns of Edinburgh World Heritage Site Management Plan (2017-2022).

Draft Management Plan – Summary 2017

The draft Management Plan sets out issues and opportunities identified through a public engagement process over last summer.  Issues include care and maintenance of buildings and streets, awareness of World Heritage Site status and contribution of new developments.

Cockburn Street

During the summer last year, over 1000 people took part in a consultation and gave us their views on how they felt the World Heritage Site is being run.  What people told us has shaped the draft Management Plan.  The draft Plan sets out a number of actions which will be taken forward by the management partners – City of Edinburgh Council, Historic Environment Scotland and Edinburgh World Heritage.

The consultation will run until 5 June 2017.  Please take a moment to share your thoughts, ideas and suggestions.

There is also an opportunity to speak to us about the World Heritage Site on:

Watch this space for updates on the consultation over the coming weeks.