South Bridge Story
3
The city of Edinburgh is constituted of seven major hills which only two are visible today because of architectural work. The 17th century folk in Edinburgh were very superstitious and very weary of real and imagined harm which is why the city was fortified. Citizens very rarely adventured outside of the fortifications. Therefore, overpopulation became a real problem. Homes were built very high, sometimes up to thirteen stories tall! The buildings were eventually cut down and the foundations used for the buildings we now see today, hence why we don’t see the other hills.
"At its highest point, the South Bridge was 31 feet tall!"
Before that, the hills were connected by five bridges for practicality. One of the most notable ones is the famous South Bridge which connects the Old Town’s High Street with the University buildings on the south side of the city. In order to build the bridge, three closes (narrow streets of Edinburgh between two tenement buildings) were demolished; Marlyn’s Wynd, Peebles Wynd and Niddry’s Wynd. This part of the city was considered to be the most rundown quarter of Edinburgh, and therefore, the poorest. The stones from demolition were then reused to build the bridge itself.
The Cowgate arch is the only visible arch from the South Bridge
Construction started in 1785. It was made to cover a length of 1000 feet and is consisted of 19 arches. At its highest point, the South Bridge was 31 feet tall! Since there was little space in Edinburgh, shops were eventually built on top and tenement houses built between the arches of the bridge. Now, only the Cowgate arch is visible