The Calton Hill

The Calton Hill is a hill located in the very center of the city. At its foot, in St Andrew's House, is the headquarters of the Scottish Government. There are many historic buildings here, including Holyrood Palace, Old Royal High School and astronomical observatory located in a building stylized as a Greek temple. You can also see many monuments here, including the National Monument, the Nelson Monument and the Monument to Political Martyrs.

Every year the Beltane Fire Festival is organized on Calton Hill. On April 30, a dozen thousand people gather to celebrate the beginning of summer, following the example of ancient, Old Beltelite celebrations. The festival was organized for the first time in 1988, and since then not only the number of performing artists but also participants has increased every year.

The name Calton Hill is probably derived from the Old English or Old English word Cragingalt, which was later transformed into Caldtoun. The current name first appeared in the 18th century.