Being the capital city of Scotland Edinburgh has a rich history and a large population of almost half a million people.

Edinburgh was settled in the Bronze age traces of which can be found at the Pentland Hills, Craiglockhart Hill and Holyrood. In the 1st century like much of Europe the Roman’s arrived and by the 2nd century had built and occupied forts around Edinburgh.

By 731 Edinburgh was part of the Kingdom of Northumbria who ruled until the Scots captured the city in around 960.

By the 12th Century Edinburgh’s imposing castle had been built on top of the extinct volcano that dominates the centre of Edinburgh, Edinburgh castle was the seat of the Scottish throne until the Union of the Crowns in 1603.

During the Scottish War of independence in the fourteenth century the castle was used as an important fortress and strong hold, the Treaty of Berwick saw Scotland retain its independence from England in 1357 ending English invasions and the wars of independence.

In 1603 King James VI inherited both the Kingdom of England and the Kingdom of Scotland uniting the kingdoms in the union of the crowns, this was formally ratified in the Treaty of Union in 1707 creating the Kingdom of Great Britain.

In the modern age as part of the United Kingdom, Edinburgh has become a very strong economic city second only to London in the United Kingdom and Europe’s sixth biggest financial centre.

Edinburgh is also home to the Scottish Parliament building built in 2004.