Mary King's Close, Historic underground alley on the Royal Mile in Old Town, Edinburgh, Scotland.
Mary King's Close is a preserved underground street network featuring 17th-century passageways, rooms, and multi-story tenements that reveal how residents from different social classes lived in tightly packed conditions beneath what is now the City Chambers building.
Originally a busy residential and commercial street during the 17th century, Mary King's Close was partially demolished in 1753 for the Royal Exchange construction, with remaining sections buried underground until excavation and preservation efforts reopened the site to the public in 2003.
The site offers guided tours led by costumed actors who portray former residents and share stories about daily life, plague outbreaks, social stratification, and local legends, providing insight into Edinburgh's urban development and the challenges faced by past inhabitants across different social classes.
Located beneath the City Chambers on the Royal Mile, the attraction offers one-hour guided tours with audio guides available in multiple languages through a mobile app, along with accessible facilities, a gift shop selling Scottish crafts, and a refreshment area for visitors.
The close takes its name from Mary King, a 17th-century merchant burgess who lived there, and is considered to contain some of the world's earliest examples of skyscraper-style buildings, with the last resident leaving in 1902 after receiving a compulsory purchase order.
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