Central Library, Edinburgh

Name: Central Library
Address: George IV Bridge, Edinburgh, EH1 1EG, United Kingdom

#264 among attractions in Edinburgh

Library

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Gallery

Photo details 1. Wikipedia / CC BY 3.0 / Brian McNeil / URL • 2. Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 3.0 / Brian McNeil / URL • 3. Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0 / Kim Traynor / URL • 4. Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 3.0 / Kbh3rd / URL • 5. Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0 / Kim Traynor / URL • 6. Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 3.0 / Kbh3rd / URL • 7. Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0 / Margaret Ferguson Burns / URL

Facts and practical information

Central Library in Edinburgh, Scotland, opened in 1890, was the first public library building in the city. Edinburgh Central library comprises six libraries: Lending, Reference, Music, Art and Design, Edinburgh and Scottish and the Children's Library. ()

Established: 1890 (134 years ago)Coordinates: 55°56'54"N, 3°11'33"W

Address

George IV BridgeOld Town (Cowgate)Edinburgh EH1 1EG United Kingdom

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Day trips

Central Library – popular in the area (distance from the attraction)

Nearby attractions include: St Giles' Cathedral, Greyfriars Kirkyard, Gladstone's Land, Thistle Chapel.

~530 ftNE
Iconic Presbyterian place of worship
St Giles' Cathedral, Edinburgh
3 min walk • St Giles' Cathedral, often referred to as the High Kirk of Edinburgh, stands as a venerable beacon of Scotland's ecclesiastical history, nestled in the heart of Edinburgh's Old Town. This majestic church, with its distinctive crown steeple piercing the skyline, is not...
~550 ftS
Reportedly haunted, Cemetery
Greyfriars Kirkyard, Edinburgh
3 min walk • Nestled in the heart of Edinburgh's bustling Old Town lies Greyfriars Kirkyard, a historic cemetery that is as rich in history as it is in atmosphere. Established in the late 16th century, this graveyard is renowned for its connection to the city's past and its...
~470 ftNW
Museum, History museum, Historical place
Gladstone's Land, Edinburgh
3 min walk • Stepping into Gladstone's Land is like traveling back in time through the heart of Edinburgh's Old Town. This historic tenement, managed by the National Trust for Scotland, offers a vivid glimpse into 17th-century city life.
~560 ftNE
Church, Gothic Revival architecture
Thistle Chapel, Edinburgh
3 min walk • Nestled within the historic walls of St Giles' Cathedral in Edinburgh, Thistle Chapel stands as a stunning example of Gothic architecture and Scottish tradition. This intimate chapel, an addition to the cathedral completed in 1911, is the spiritual home of The Most...
~690 ftW
Science museum, Observation decks and towers, Museum
Camera Obscura, Edinburgh
4 min walk • Perched high on Edinburgh's Royal Mile, the Camera Obscura and World of Illusions is a unique attraction that offers visitors an enchanting experience blending history, science, and amusement. Established in the 19th century, this fascinating venue houses a delightful...
~170 ftE
Dancing, Nightlife
Subway Cowgate, Edinburgh
1 min walk • 65 Cowgate is a multi-storey building situated on the historic Cowgate, Edinburgh, Scotland, which is used each August as a venue complex for the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the world's largest open access festival.
~850 ftS
Nightlife
Sandy Bell's, Edinburgh
5 min walk • Sandy Bell's is a music pub in Edinburgh, Scotland. It is known locally and internationally for its live traditional music sessions, it was frequented regularly by folklorist Hamish Henderson prior to his death in 2002, indeed there is a bust of Henderson displayed above the bar.
~620 ftS
17th-century active church and arts venue
Greyfriars Kirk, Edinburgh
3 min walk • Greyfriars Kirk is a parish church of the Church of Scotland, located in the Old Town of Edinburgh, Scotland. It is surrounded by Greyfriars Kirkyard. Greyfriars traces its origin to the south-west parish of Edinburgh, founded in 1598. Initially, this congregation met in the western portion of St Giles'.
~440 ftN
Street
Royal Mile, Edinburgh
3 min walk • The Royal Mile is a succession of streets forming the main thoroughfare of the Old Town of the city of Edinburgh in Scotland. The term was first used descriptively in W M Gilbert's Edinburgh in the Nineteenth Century, "...with its Castle and Palace and the royal mile between"...
~300 ftNW
Church
Quaker Meeting House, Edinburgh
2 min walk • The Quaker Meeting House, Edinburgh is a Category B listed building in Edinburgh, Scotland, situated on Victoria Terrace in the city's Old Town. It is the central meeting house for members of the Quakers in Edinburgh. There is also another Quaker meeting held in the Open Door cafe in Morningside in the south of the city.
~570 ftNW
Museum, Robert Louis Stevenson, Specialty museum
Writers' Museum, Edinburgh
3 min walk • The Writers’ Museum, housed in Lady Stair's House at the Lawnmarket, on the Royal Mile in Edinburgh, presents the lives of three of the foremost Scottish writers: Robert Burns, Walter Scott and Robert Louis Stevenson.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Which popular attractions are close to Central Library?

Nearby attractions include Underbelly, Edinburgh (1 min walk), Magdalen Chapel, Edinburgh (1 min walk), The John Murray Archive, Edinburgh (1 min walk), George IV Bridge, Edinburgh (1 min walk).

How to get to Central Library by public transport?

The nearest stations to Central Library:

Bus

Victoria Street • Lines: 23, 27, 41 (1 min walk)
Chambers Street • Lines: 41 (3 min walk)

Train

Edinburgh Waverley (7 min walk)
Haymarket (27 min walk)

Tram

Princes Street • Lines: Edinburgh Trams Eastbound, Edinburgh Trams Westbound (9 min walk)
St Andrew Square • Lines: Edinburgh Trams Eastbound, Edinburgh Trams Westbound (12 min walk)