North Bridge

North Bridge stands in Edinburgh, linking the Old Town’s High Street with Princes Street in the New Town. The present bridge was built between 1894 and 1897, replacing an earlier structure from the 1760s. The first bridge was designed by William Mylne, who underestimated the foundations and suffered a collapse in 1769. Five people died when part of the bridge gave way during construction. The rebuilt bridge opened in 1772 with three central arches and several smaller ones at each end. It measured 1,125 feet long and rose 68 feet above the valley below. The current bridge was constructed by Sir William Arrol & Co., the same firm that built the Forth Bridge. Its design included three spans of arched girders, each 175 feet long, and it was 75 feet wide. The foundation stone was laid in 1896 by Lord Provost Andrew McDonald in a Masonic ceremony. A medal was struck to mark the opening in 1897, showing the bridge and a bust of McDonald. A war memorial by William Birnie Rhind honours soldiers of the King’s Own Scottish Borderers who died between 1878 and 1902. At the southern end, the bridge meets the Royal Mile where substantial buildings include The Scotsman Hotel and Royal Mile Mansions. The Scotsman newspaper once operated from its former headquarters on the west side. On the east side, a former department store became a hotel after closing in 1981. At the northern end, the Balmoral Hotel overlooks Waverley Station, and Waverley Gate, once the General Post Office, now provides office space. The bridge’s recent refurbishment took eight years to complete, with work finally finishing in 2026.