The Nelson Monument

The Nelson Monument is on Calton Hill.  It is a prominent landmark, looking to the east along Princes Street towards Calton Hill.

The Monument - 1829

The book Modern Athens, published in 1829, described the monument:

"It rises from a broad expanded base, containing a number of rooms, originally intended to give accommodation to disabled seamen.

They are now leased to a vendor of soups and sweetmeats - and the visitors of the monument have the opportunity of eating in them, in what measure they please, and drinking, under certain restrictions to the memory of the great hero they commemorate.

It contains an internal winding staircase, leading to the top, from which, as from that of other columns, there is a view.  The privilege of the survey is sold for a shilling."

The Monument - Today

The monument and its viewing platform is still open to the public.  But there are no longer any sales of soup, sweetmeats and drinks.  At the top of the monument is:

-  a viewing area with open views across the Firth of Forth to the north towards Edinburgh Castle in the West and towards the hills in the south.

-  a time-ball, raised then lowered daily at 1pm.  This was installed to give an accurate time-check to the shipping in the Firth of Forth.  At one time it was linked by cable stretching across the valley to Edinburgh Castle as a means of triggering the Edinburgh One o'Clock Gun.