University of Edinburgh
University of Edinburgh, Ancient university in Edinburgh, United Kingdom
The University of Edinburgh is an ancient institution in Edinburgh, United Kingdom, spread across several locations throughout the city. Historic buildings stand in Old Town alongside modern lecture halls and libraries, while newer sites like Kings Buildings to the south house scientific laboratories and research facilities.
The institution received its royal charter in 1583 from King James VI, becoming the fourth Scottish university. Its growth from the 18th century onward shaped Edinburgh's reputation as an intellectual center during the Scottish Enlightenment and beyond.
The institution is woven into Edinburgh's daily life, with students filling the city's cafes and bookshops during term time. Traditions like graduation ceremonies in McEwan Hall or public guest lectures open parts of the campus to visitors and locals alike.
The sites are spread across the city, some within walking distance of the center, others like the medical quarter and Kings Buildings located farther south. Many buildings are open to the public during the day, and libraries and museums like Talbot Rice Gallery offer visiting opportunities.
Researchers here developed chloroform for anesthesia in the 19th century and later contributed to the discovery of the Higgs boson particle. Less known is that the Old College library holds an original manuscript by Charles Darwin written during his early research years.
Location: City of Edinburgh
Inception: 1583
Website: https://ed.ac.uk
GPS coordinates: 55.94739,-3.18719
Latest update: December 3, 2025 08:06
This collection brings together 50 universities from four continents, among the best known in the world. You can find institutions that were founded centuries ago, with campuses full of history, next to research centers working on future technologies. These places host students, researchers, and teachers from all over the world. This creates a lively environment that often spills over into nearby neighborhoods. In Oxford and Cambridge, medieval colleges line cobbled streets where students ride bikes. In Boston, the brick buildings of Harvard and the modern labs of MIT run along the Charles River. In California, Stanford sets up its arcades under the sun, while in Zurich, ETH watches over the city from above. In Singapore, the tropical campus blends into the thick greenery of the island. Each university leaves its mark on the cityscape, drawing visitors with its architecture, history, or just curiosity to see these places where part of today’s thinking forms.
Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh
144 m
Old College
0 m
Edinburgh Festival Theatre
103 m
South Bridge
148 m
Talbot Rice Gallery
51 m
Queen Mary Harp
121 m
Lamont Harp
121 m
The Royal Oak
96 m
Royal Museum of Scotland
144 m
Edinburgh, 5-6 Chambers Street, Adam House
80 m
Woodwrae Stone
131 m
Lady Yester's Kirk
147 m
Bullion Stone
132 m
Statue of William Chambers
139 m
Minto House
143 m
Edinburgh, 16 Chambers Street, University Of Edinburgh, Women's Union
102 m
Edinburgh, 16, 18, 20 Robertson's Close
125 m
Alison House
141 m
Chambers Street, Lamp Standard
73 m
Statue of William Henry Playfair
107 m
Edinburgh, 3 South College Street
66 m
Edinburgh, 4 South College Street
62 m
Edinburgh, 60, 61 South Bridge
84 m
Edinburgh, 65, 66, 67, 68 South Bridge
85 m
Edinburgh, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58 And 59 South Bridge
85 m
Edinburgh, 11a South College Street, College Street United Presbyterian Church
67 m
Edinburgh, 29-39 Lothian Street
147 m
Edinburgh, 11a South College Street, College Street United Presbyterian Church
71 mReviews
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