Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, a position it has held since 1437. It is the second largest Scottish city, after Glasgow.
Owing to its rugged setting and vast collection of Medieval and Georgian architecture, including numerous stone tenements, it is often considered one of the most picturesque cities in Europe.
Edinburgh is the seat of the Scottish Parliament.
The city was one of the major centres of the Enlightenment, led by the University of Edinburgh, earning it the nickname Athens of the North.
The Old Town and New Town districts of Edinburgh were listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995. There are over 4,500 listed buildings within the city.
In the 2008 mid year population estimates, Edinburgh had a total resident population of 471,650.
