The Royal Mile is located within the Old Town part

The Royal Mile is located within the Old Town part of the city of Edinburgh; it is a succession of streets which are popular and widely known. The Royal Mile has this name due to it being approximately one Scots mile long, it runs between two foci of history which are located in Scotland, from the Edinburgh Castle down to Holyrood Abbey. Several streets make up the Royal Mile and these include Castle Esplanade, Castlehill, Lawnmarket, High Street, Canongate and Abbey Strand. The Royal Mile is the busiest location in the Old Town and is rivalled only by Princes Street which is located in the New Town.
During the Edinburgh Festival, the High Street located on the Royal Mile becomes the central focus; thousands of people visit the area. On the left hand side of the street is the High Court of Justiciary; this is the Supreme Court which is located in Scotland. On the right hand side of the street just further down from Edinburgh Castle is Parliament Square, this is name after the old Parliament House, and this held both of the courts of law between the 1630s and 1707.
There is one major central focus to The Royal Mile; this is a major intersection with The Bridges. The North Bridge runs north towards the New Towns Princes Street and across towards Waverley Station. The South Bridge runs across the Cowgate and continues past the old college building which is part of the University of Edinburgh. Located between the Bridges and the John Knox House is one of the only buildings which is still used for the purpose for which it was built, this is the Carrubbers Christian Centre which was constructed in 1883.
The Castle Esplanade which is located on the mile was laid out during the 19th Century, originally as a parade ground for troops. The venue is used for the annual Edinburgh Military Tattoo. The Cannonball House which is located here is best noticed for the cannonball which is located within the wall; it is believed that this was accidentally fired from the castle. The Castlehill is predominantly dominated by the former Tolbooth Highland St Johns Church which is now used for the headquarters of the Edinburgh International Festival. The Assembly Hall of the Church of Scotland and also the New College are located here also.
The Lawnmarket is also located on The Royal Mile; this used to be the linen market and is now dominated by shops which are targeted at tourists. Located on the left side of the area is the preserved 17th Century townhouse Gladstones Land, this is owned by the National Trust for Scotland. Located at the bottom of Lawnmarket is a major intersection with George IV Bridge and Bank Street, this leads to The Mound and the New Town. The view which can be seen down Bank Street is dominated by the headquarters of the Bank of Scotland.

The Royal Mile
Edinburgh, EH1 1PW
www.edinburgh-royalmile.com