The Ancient City: Edinburgh, Scotland

This question has countless answers depending on where these buildings are today. Stones used in European cities are fascinating in particular. Some cities have been around for thousands of years, and it is remarkable how there are still structures around today. A very important factor of this is the stones being used to build these specific buildings. I recently went to Edinburgh, Scotland, which has records dating back to 8500 BC, and was able to witness such old landmarks firsthand. When I visited Paris, the buildings were rarely discolored and something I did not pay much attention to. When I was in Edinburgh, though, the discoloration in the stone was fascinating to me. I was not sure if this was because of the city’s age or some other factor that affected the stone.

The Stones

Edinburgh is made of something called craigleith sandstone which is sturdy and already fairly different in color. These stones are typically grey or brown and desirable for building structures because it is easy to work with but also reluctant to weathering (“Interesting Facts”). This allows for such ancient cities to still be around today. As for the color of the stones in Edinburgh, knowing some were already grey to begin with made sense, but still did not explain why some looked black. According to Katie Welsh, it is actually just pollution. Up until the 20th century, coal was burned in house fires and railways and thus covered buildings in soot (Welsh). This grime and soot still covers the sandstone today, which helps protect it from corrosion. I find it fascinating how all cities have different stories to share, even within the architecture. I assumed this Scottish city looked old thanks to only its age, but there are so many more factors. It is important to remember to leave no stone unturned, literally.

Source

“Interesting Facts – Sandstone.” Banas Stone. Banas Stone, 2023, www.banasstones.com/interesting-facts/309-interesting-facts-sandstone/. 
Welsh, Katie. “Edinburgh’s Iconic Scott Monument and the Reason it Can Never Get Cleaned.” edinburghlive. MGN Limited, 29 June 2021, www.edinburghlive.co.uk/news/edinburgh-news/edinburghs-iconic-scott-monument-reason-20931701.