Celebrating Edinburgh’s rich history through storytelling

As part of National Storytelling Week, Edinburgh 900 invites people and communities to share their connection with the capital city.

As part of National Storytelling Week, the Edinburgh 900 programme invites individuals, communities, and historians to share and explore their unique connections to the city’s fascinating past.

The Edinburgh and Scottish Collection at Central Library boasts one of the world’s largest and most unique collections of materials on Edinburgh, including rare books, maps, prints, photographs, and more.

Through a dedicated website users can access images and maps from the collection online. Our Town Stories features curated stories across various themes and partners with organisations to highlight Edinburgh’s rich and diverse past.

As part of the Edinburgh 900 celebrations, Our Town Stories offers an engaging and interactive journey through the city’s heritage with dynamic maps and timelines. These tools highlight significant objects, photographs, and people from the collections of Libraries, Archives, Archaeology Services, and Museums and Galleries. Over the coming months, more Edinburgh 900 themed captivating stories will be unveiled that span the centuries, offering new insights into Edinburgh’s evolution from the 1100s to the modern-day.

Some highlights already published include:

• A History of Fire-Fighting
• Edinburgh 900 – City of Commerce
• Edinburgh 900 – City of Conflict
• Edinburgh 900 – City of David – A Growing City
• Edinburgh 900 – City of David – A Medieval Burgh
• Edinburgh 900 – City of David – A Modern Metropolis
• Edinburgh 900 – City of Finance

Lord Provost Robert Aldridge, said: “These stories delve into the pivotal moments in Edinburgh’s history, shedding light on the people, places, and events that have helped shape our extraordinary city.

“Our Town Stories makes exploring Edinburgh’s past easy—its interactive map brings the city’s rich history to life with images and maps from our collections. Whether you’re zooming in on a familiar street or discovering hidden corners of the city, this tool connects you with Edinburgh’s heritage in an accessible way.

“If you’re inspired and have a personal, historical, or cultural story to share that could enhance our understanding of Edinburgh’s past, we’d love to hear from you. Your contribution could become part of our ongoing narrative, helping to celebrate the city’s identity, creativity, and resilience, ensuring that Edinburgh’s 900-year story is preserved for future generations.”

For more information or to contribute your story, please get in touch at informationdigital@edinburgh.gov.uk 

You can also join the Edinburgh Collected community archive and contribute your pictures and memories to help shape the city’s collective history.