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Queen Street

Edinburgh Attractions

Queen Street Edinburgh the last street in the planned New Town Edinburgh named after Queen Charlotte wife of George III. Thing to see and do in Queen Street. Home of James Young Simpson, Royal College of Physicians and Scottish National Portrait Gallery. 

Queen Street

Scottish National Portrait Gallery

The Scottish National Portrait Gallery in Queen Street houses many of the Scottish Masters and has many statues, busts, sculptures, art works modern and contemporary. With a cafe and many exhibits its a great place to spend a wet day.

the portrait gallery queen street edinburgh
View of reliefs of The Fine Arts, National Portrait Gallery Edinburgh

Scottish National Portrait Gallery

The Plaque on the west of the entrance reads; Dedicated to the | illustration of Scottish | history. This edifice the | gift to his native country | of John Ritchie Findlay | was erected anno domini 1890 | by the honourable the board | of trustees for manufactures | R Rowan Anderson LLD architect

Scottish Portrait Gallery Plaque
View of relief of Scotland, flanked by Industry and Religion, in tympanum of upper arch

Scottish National Portrait Gallery Statues

Queen Street Edinburgh

Scottish National Portrait Gallery was built in the 1880. All the portraits are from Scottish history, painted by a range of major European and American masters. The gallery also displays sculptures, miniatures and photographs. Unique visual history of Scotland told through the portraits of those who shaped it, from the 16th century to the present. They include Mary Queen of Scots, Sir Walter Scott, Robert Burns and Sean Connery. It also houses the National Photography Collection.

 Ist Viscount Duncan  

statue of 1st viscount duncan scottish national portrait gallery queen street edinburgh

John Hunter

statues of james hutton, john hunter  scottish national portrait gallery queen street edinburgh

George Buchanan

statue of George Buchanan scottish national portrait gallery queen street edinburgh

Cardinal Beaton

2nd Duke of Argyll

statue of Cardinal Beaton scottish national portrait gallery queen street edinburgh
statue of 2nd Duke of Argyll scottish national portrait gallery queen street edinburgh

John Knox

statue of John Knox scottish national portrait gallery queen street edinburgh

Sir Ralph Abercrombie

David Hume

Adam Smith

Sir Henry Raeburn

Ist Viscount Stair

Gavin Douglas

Sir David Lesley

William Dunbar

statues of Sir Ralph Abercrombie, David Hume, Adam Smith scottish national portrait gallery queen street edinburgh
statues of Sir Ralph Abercrombie, David Hume, Adam Smith scottish national portrait gallery queen street edinburgh
statues of Sir Ralph Abercrombie, David Hume, Adam Smith scottish national portrait gallery queen street edinburgh
statues of Sir Henry Raeburn and Viscount Stair scottish national portrait gallery queen street edinburgh
statues of Sir Henry Raeburn and Viscount Stair scottish national portrait gallery queen street edinburgh
Bishop Gavin Douglas
statues of Sir David Lindsay and Gavin Douglas scottish national portrait gallery queen street edinburgh
William Dunbar National Gallery Edinburg

King James VI & I

statues of King James VI and I  scottish national portrait gallery queen street edinburgh

King  Malcolm III 

statues of King Malcolm III scottish national portrait gallery queen street edinburgh

King James I

statues of King James I scottish national portrait gallery queen street edinburgh

King Alexander III

statues of King Alexander III scottish national portrait gallery queen street edinburgh

James Douglas

statues of Sir James Douglas scottish national portrait gallery queen street edinburgh

King James V

statues of King James V scottish national portrait gallery queen street edinburgh

Earl of Moray

statues of Earl of Moray scottish national portrait gallery queen street edinburgh

Saint Margaret

statue of St Margaret scottish national portrait gallery queen street edinburgh

John Napier

statue of John Napier scottish national portrait gallery queen street edinburgh

William Maitland

statue of William Maitland scottish national portrait gallery queen street edinburgh

John Lesley

statue of Bishop John Lesley scottish national portrait gallery queen street edinburgh

Kleio Daughter of Zeus

statue of Kleio daughter of Zues scottish national portrait gallery queen street edinburgh

William Wallace

statue of Sir William Wallace scottish national portrait gallery queen street edinburgh

Mary Queen of Scots

statue of Mary Queen of Scots scottish national portrait gallery queen street edinburgh

Robert the Bruce

statue of King Robert the Bruce scottish national portrait gallery queen street edinburgh

Bishop Gavin Douglas

Bishop

James Hutton

James Hutton Statue National Portrait Ga

James Young Simpson

(7 June 1811 – 6 May 1870)

James Young Simpson discovered the unaesthetic power of chloroform and introduced anesthesia to childbirth. Simpson was elected a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in 1863. On 4th November, 1847 Simpson first used chloroform.

It was first used as an anaesthetic to help ease the pain during childbirth. Queen Victoria used chloroform during the delivery of Prince Leopold in 1853. Simpson was the first man to be knighted by the Scottish Court of the Lord Lyon for services to medicine. "Victo Dolore" (pain conquered) is the inscription on Simpson’s coat of arms. Simpson died at his home in Edinburgh at the age of fifty-eight. A burial spot in Westminster Abbey was offered to his family, but they declined and instead buried Simpson closer to home in Warriston Cemetery, Edinburgh. On the day of Simpson's funeral, a Scottish holiday was declared, including the banks and stock markets, with over 100,000 citizens lining the funeral cortege on its way to the cemetery, while over 1,700 colleagues and business leaders took part in the procession itself. James Young Simpson Lived in 52 Queen Street Edinburgh for over 25 years.

james young simpson house Queen Street edinburgh
james young simpson statue princes street edinburgh
james young simpson plaque Queen Street edinburgh

Royal College of Physicians 

Queen Street Edinburgh

The Royal College of Physicians was given its Royal status in 1681 by Charles II and their first meeting hall was in Fountain Close in 1704. The present building was completed in 1844 and previous to that the first building on the same site was started in 1775. The three statues are of Hygeia (daughter of Asclepius and Goddess of good health), Asclepius (Greek God of medicine and son of Apollo), Hippocrates (ancient Greek physician). Two panels’ right and left of Hygeia show the winged lions at the lyre of Apollo.

 THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS QUEEN STREET EDINBURGH

Royal College of Physicians queen street edinburgh

WINGED LIONS AT THE LYRE OF APOLLO.

winged lions at the lyre of Apollo queen street edinburgh

Asclepius

(Greek God of medicine) 

(Son of Apollo)

Hippocrates

(ancient Greek physician).

Asclepius greek god queen street edinburgh

Asclepius was a Greek god, healer and one of the Argonauts and his downfall was when he resurrected

two mortals, Zeus was unhappy with his actions and slew Asclepius with a thunderbolt.

hippocrates queen street edinburgh

Hippocrates Lived on the island of Kos,

He was a Greek physician and is believed

to be one of the most important figures in

the history of medicine. Known as the

 "Father of Western Medicine"

The Hippocratic Oath that doctors take is

 named after him.

Hygeia

(Daughter of Asclepius)

 (Goddess of good health)

Hygiene greek goddess queen street edinburgh

Hygiene Greek goddess of good health was a daughter and helper of the god of medicine Asclepius,and a friend to the goddess Aphrodite.

Mary Erskine School

Plaque

Mary Erskine donated a sum of money from her husbands estate to the Company of Merchants of Edinburgh, to have a school built to educate the poor children of Edinburgh Merchant families. The School (Hospital as they were called) named Merchant Maiden Hospital first opened in the Cowgate in 1694. It then moved to new premises on the corner of Bristo Street (now Bristo Place) and Lothian Street in 1706. As it grew it moved again to new premises in 1818 at the Lauriston area at the foot of Archibald Place. In 1870 moving once more to larger premises in the New town and changing its name to Edinburgh Educational Institution for Young Ladies. It was renamed in 1889 to The Edinburgh Ladies’ College. In honour of Mary Erskine the school changes its name in 1944  to The Mary Erskine School and a final move to its present home at Ravelston in 1966.

Mary Erskine School. Queen Street Edinbu
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