SCOTT MONUMENT
Edinburgh's Scott Monument was erected following the death of Sir Walter Scott on the 21st September 1832. Following a public meeting on 5th October. A competition was declared in order to select a design for the monument. George Miekle Kemp, a working joiner who had attained recognition as an accomplished draughtsman, won the competition.
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At the same time John Steell, later Sir John and H.M. Sculptor for Scotland, had been declared winner of a competition to select the sculptor of the statue of Sir Walter Scott to be included in the monument. In the autumn of 1844 Kemp's young son, Thomas, placed the last stone in the pinnacle. The monument including the statue was officially inaugurated on 15th August 1846.
The Scott Monument stands at 200ft and 6 inches high and is 55ft square at the base. 287 steps lead to the highest gallery in the building that is made from Binnie stone. The Binnie stone is said to contain natural oils which aide the preservation of the building. Sir John Steell's statue of Sir Walter Scott is made from Carrara marble and is more than double life-size.
The Scott Monument contains 64 niches in which, in accordance with the original design, a statue has been placed. Several of statues were contributed at the time of the original inauguration, and a movement instigated by James Ballantyne in 1870 brought the total to 32. All of the statues are of characters from the works of Sir Walter Scott.
The Scott Monument is a fascinating day out for all the family and worth it for the fantastic views alone. You can find the Scott monument in Princes Street in the centre of Edinburgh's city Centre.
