An Unconventional Tour of Edinburgh
An unofficial sculpture trail celebrating the city’s furry friends
In March of 2023, I visited Edinburgh (for the second time) for my birthday. It was an amazing holiday, crammed full of sightseeing and activities. There was one thing in particular, however, that I noticed on this trip to the Scottish capital, and that was the number of sculptures I came across, particularly the amount of animal-related statues.
As a fan of critters and public art, I set out to document as many as I could find and have put this article together so you too can follow the trail of Edinburgh’s animals, whilst stopping off at some of my recommendations for a visit to the city.
1. Mercat cross and Alexander and Bucephalus
Starting at the central Edinburgh Waverley station, head down to High Street, part of the famous Royal Mile of Edinburgh's Old Town. Heading towards Edinburgh Castle in the west, you’ll come across St Giles’ Cathedral, its grandeur impossible to miss. Look into the sky in front of the cathedral and you’ll notice Scotland’s magnificent national animal, the unicorn — though a very tiny one.
This structure is called the Mercat Cross and is a 19th-century replacement of the 15th-century original. This octagonal…
