Mercat Cross, Market cross monument in Old Town, Scotland
Mercat Cross is an octagonal stone structure with a central pillar crowned by a unicorn, standing on the Royal Mile next to St Giles Cathedral. It rests on a stepped base decorated with carved medallions depicting historical heads.
The monument first appears in records from 1365 and was moved several times before being rebuilt in its current octagonal form in 1885 with William Gladstone's support. This version replaced an earlier structure that had stood since 1617.
The cross continues to serve as a gathering place where official royal announcements are made to the assembled crowd. This active role keeps the monument meaningful in Edinburgh's public life today.
The monument sits directly on the Royal Mile and is easily reached on foot without any special access requirements. Full viewing is possible anytime, as it stands freely on a busy pedestrian walkway.
Five original medallions from the 1617 structure survive today, now decorating the garden walls of Abbotsford House in the Scottish Borders. These salvaged pieces reveal fragments of the monument's earlier versions.
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