Tag: World Heritage Day

Photography competition celebrates World Heritage Day

Photography enthusiasts are being encouraged to enter a competition running until October celebrating three decades of Edinburgh’s World Heritage Site.

The Old and New Towns of Edinburgh were first inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1995 making this World Heritage Day (Saturday, 18 April) so special as the competition is part of the Site’s 30th birthday celebrations.

This makes this weekend the perfect time to explore the Old and New Towns to capture images of one of the most extraordinary urban landscapes in the world.

The winner of the competition, which is run by Edinburgh World Heritage, Historic Environment Scotland, and the Council, will receive a year’s membership to Historic Scotland.

Entries will be grouped into twelve categories, each celebrating a particular value of Scotland’s capital city. The winning photograph in each category will become part of a year-long calendar, which will be sold on Historic Scotland sites and at Edinburgh World Heritage events to raise money for the Trust.

The over-all winner will take pride of place on the front cover of the calendar and will receive a one-year membership for Historic Scotland, who run top-rated visitor attractions all over the country.

The entries will be judged by Tom Duffin, a professional photographer who specialises in showcasing Edinburgh’s heritage; Neil Hanna, a multi-award-winning photographer with over 35 years of experience; and Jane Bradley, celebrated Arts and Culture Correspondent at the Scotsman.

This year’s World Heritage Day celebrations also include the following event:

DID JOHN BAYNE TAKE A SECRET TO HIS GRAVE?

TODAY (Saturday 18 April) as part of the Legacies in Stone project, Edinburgh World Heritage, the Friends of Greyfriars Kirkyard, and the Council (funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund) aim to lift the lid on a secret centuries in the making: does a broken gravestone in John Bayne’s mausoleum hide a forgotten burial vault?

By repairing a simple flat grave slab, the aim is to unlock the mystery of this unique tomb in Scotland’s most famous kirkyard.

How to join:

Cllr Joan Griffiths Planning Convener said: “This year World Heritage Day is so special as there is much to celebrate. The 30th birthday is a significant achievement and milestone to reach as looking after the Site with our partners takes a lot of care and has many challenges. Edinburgh is a living, breathing city and it needs to be well managed to balance the needs of our residents, businesses and visitors.

“This World Heritage Day is a great time to enter our photography competition as it’s a lovely time of year to capture the changing light, sunsets and skylines this part of our stunning capital city is so famous for.

“The beautiful spring flowers appearing in the many gardens and open spaces are also there for us all to enjoy. If you’re interested in photography, why not explore the area this weekend to capture what inspires you most about the Old and New Towns.

“You could combine your visit to find out if John Bayne took a secret to his grave by attending the event in Greyfriars Kirkyard – or if history is more your interest – just attend the event instead.”

George Findlater, Head of Community and Economic Development at Historic Environment Scotland, said: “After thirty years of being a World Heritage Site, Edinburgh continues to inspire admiration from visitors and locals alike.

“We are excited to offer a year’s membership to Historic Scotland as a prize in the photography competition, and World Heritage Day is a terrific opportunity to bring out your camera and capture what makes Edinburgh so unique across the competition categories.”

Douglas Brotherston, Chairman of Edinburgh World Heritage, said: “Thirty years as a World Heritage Site is quite a wonderful achievement and we are delighted at Edinburgh World Heritage, together with our partners at HES and the City of Edinburgh Council to mark the occasion by holding this photography competition.

“The unique appeal of Edinburgh’s streets and landscapes, skylines and special heritage is so varied, it lives up to its reputation as one of the most beautiful cities in the world. We hope that we will get many entries from locals and visitors alike who can capture the glorious views of our spectacular city.”

The twelve categories for which applicants can submit their photographs are:

  1. Medieval Old Town
  2. Neo-classical New Town
  3. Gardens and open spaces
  4. Urban planning/street layout
  5. Topography and skyline
  6. Public and commercial monuments
  7. Conservation
  8. Layering of heritage
  9. Architectural detail
  10. Graveyards
  11. Juxtaposition
  12.  The Living City

Celebrating 30 years of Edinburgh’s World Heritage Site

Planning Convener Cllr Joan Griffiths writes about birthday celebrations for Edinburgh’s World Heritage Site ahead of World Heritage Day on Saturday:

It’s three decades since Edinburgh’s Old and New Towns were inscribed on the UNESCO world heritage list in 1995, recognising the city’s diverse and iconic buildings and landmarks –  thirty years on and we have a lot to celebrate this World Heritage Day,  Saturday 18 April.

The status recognises the Towns (collectively) as one of the most extraordinary urban landscapes in the world and helps us along with our partners, Historic Environment Scotland and Edinburgh World Heritage, to make sure its value and beauty is preserved for generations to come.

As partners we’re tasked with preserving the organic medieval Old Town and the planned Georgian New Town including the city’s iconic skyline. The Site offers a rich contrast of styles between the Old Town’s narrow, winding closes and the broad, elegant streets of the New Town. Along with our partners we look after around 4,500 individual buildings and for around 30,000 Edinburgh residents the Site is their home.

UNESCO’s values include working with communities and young people. Celebrating this big birthday is giving us a fantastic opportunity to engage residents and visitors in activities to help them find out more about this historically important and internationally renowned area of our beautiful Capital city.

If you’re a photography enthusiast, we’re running a competition with our partners to help celebrate this milestone. We’re asking you to share an image with us before the end of October that captures what inspires you most about the World Heritage Site and makes Edinburgh so special in your eyes. There are 12 categories to choose from, ranging from the Medieval Old Town to the Living City.

Winning images in each category will become part of a year-long calendar and you will be able to buy one in our Museums and Galleries shops, at Historic Scotland sites and at Edinburgh World Heritage events to raise money to help manage the Site going forward.

For our young residents we’ve asked a class of primary four Granton Primary pupils to work with a freelance artist over the summer term. The children will visit the Museum of Edinburgh and be given a special educational tour of the World Heritage Site.

The artist will carry out a number of sessions with the pupils in their classroom guiding them to paint their impressions of what they found interesting and memorable during their trip around this historic area of our city. When complete the work will be exhibited in the Museum of Edinburgh from 5 October to 10 January for everyone to enjoy.

Why not use this week to find out more about the Old and New Towns World Heritage Site and enter any special images of the area you are proud of into our photography competition. Good luck and happy snapping!

Forever Edinburgh unveils Resident Days celebrating Edinburgh locals

Forever Edinburgh has unveiled its 2026 Resident Days programme, building on the success of last year’s launch which saw over 1,000 EH postcode holders enjoy exclusive access to attractions, tours and experiences across the capital.

Following a strong response to the inaugural programme, Resident Days returns with an expanded calendar of themed moments throughout the year. Delivered in partnership with a wide range of Resident Rewards partners, the initiative continues to give back to the people who power Edinburgh’s visitor economy by offering exclusive deals for those who call the city home.

Resident Days will give Edinburgh residents exclusive rewards, including discounted access to a range of leisure, hospitality and cultural experiences across the city from almost 30 organisations. This is running alongside the Resident Rewards programme, which offers residents access to exclusive deals and discounts throughout the year.

The 2026 programme begins with World Heritage Day on Saturday 18 April, celebrating Edinburgh’s rich history and internationally recognised heritage.

Residents will be able to enjoy a range of exclusive offers including 2-for-1 tickets at The Royal Yacht Britannia, a discounted Three Bridges Cruise with Forth Boat Tours, 50 per cent off food at Canopy Kitchen & Courtyard and a special rate for a round of golf at Bruntsfield Links Golfing Society, encouraging locals to rediscover the stories, locations and experiences that have shaped Edinburgh’s heritage.

The themed days continue across the year, each shining a spotlight on different communities and interests:

  • Father’s Day – Sunday 21 June 2026
  • World Tourism Day – Sunday 27 September 2026
  • Silver Sunday – Sunday 04 October 2026
  • World Children’s Day – Friday 20 November 2026

Across the programme, residents can expect everything from discounted tours and trails to free exhibitions, exclusive entry to attractions, money off treatments, as well as food and drink deals.

Several participating businesses also boast strong accessibility credentials, with attractions such as Camera Obscura & World of Illusions, The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, Edinburgh Bus Tours and The Royal Yacht Britannia offering accessible facilities and experiences, supporting the programme’s ambition to make participation as inclusive as possible.

Councillor Jane Meagher, Leader of the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “Resident Days are an important way for us to recognise and thank the people who make Edinburgh what it is. Our residents support the local economy year-round, and this programme is about giving something meaningful back to them.

“By working in partnership with businesses across the city, we are able to offer accessible and affordable opportunities for people to explore attractions, try something new and spend quality time together. It is about ensuring that the benefits of our visitor economy are felt by the communities who live here.”

Casey Rust, Director of Marketing at The Royal Yacht Britannia said: “We are proud to support Resident Days and to support the programme for World Heritage Day. It is a brilliant opportunity to welcome local residents on board and celebrate the heritage experiences that make Edinburgh so special.

“Being part of Resident Days allows us to give something back to the local community while sharing the story of Britannia with people who live right here in the city. The response last year showed there is a real appetite for residents to rediscover their city, and we are excited to be part of that again.”

Full details of participating venues and how to claim rewards will be available on Forever Edinburgh’s dedicated Resident Day microsite:

www.edinburgh.org/residentrewards/residentrewarddays/

Local businesses interested in participating in upcoming Resident Days can contact the Forever Edinburgh team at visit@edinburgh.gov.uk

This project is funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

Explore the world heritage on your doorstep with trove.scot

This World Heritage Day, rediscover the Forth Bridge with HES’s new digital portal

In celebration of World Heritage Day on 18 April, Historic Environment Scotland (HES) is highlighting how its new platform trove.scot can make it easy and exciting to discover more about the unique World Heritage site of the Forth Bridge.

The  Forth Bridge was inscribed as a World Heritage Site in 2015. It is one of the world’s greatest cantilever trussed bridges, and was innovative in both style, materials and scale when it was first built. Even today, the distinctive industrial silhouette of the Forth Bridge is iconic across the world.

On trove.scot, visitors can explore archive records and images to walk through the immense process of building the bridge through photographs and artwork, and digitally get into the nooks and crannies that are inaccessible in person.

James Bruhn, Head of World Heritage and Heritage Policy at HES, said: “World Heritage Sites are globally important and part of everyone’s heritage, and we are excited to make them more digitally accessible than ever.

“With trove.scot, both local residents and visitors from all over the world can learn more about this unique and world-famous site.”

Unlock Scotland’s world heritage anytime, anywhere with trove.scot, the key to Scotland’s past.

Counting down to World Heritage Day

 

World Heritage Day celebrations set to kick off at Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum

Visitors to Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum in Glasgow will have the opportunity to be transported to the heart of Scotland’s World Heritage Sites as part of a special event to mark World Heritage Day. Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum will host a full day of free activities on Tuesday 11 April to celebrate Scotland’s rich heritage, in the run up to World Heritage Day on 18 April. Continue reading Counting down to World Heritage Day