ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½

In 1124 King David I introduced a new system of local government into Scotland by creating royal burghs as part of his efforts to reform the nation’s economic and political structures.

ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ was one of his first royal burghs, along with 

• Berwick
• Dunfermline
• Roxburgh
• Stirling.

While there is no surviving founding ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ charter, an 1127 Dunfermline Abbey royal charter refers to ‘my burgh of ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½’. In 1128, Canongate Burgh was created for Holyrood Abbey. 

After the Reformation, ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ spent considerable effort acquiring the former abbey’s lands over the following 200 years. It acquired Canongate then created a new burgh for South Leith in 1636. The burghs of Broughton, Calton and Portsburgh were also acquired and run by Edinburgh. This complex system of governance was abolished in 1856 when all burghs under the management of ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ were merged into a single burgh.

In 1833, Portobello and Leith were made independent parliamentary burghs under the Burgh Reform Act. They ran their own affairs until amalgamated into an expanded ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ in 1896 and 1920, respectively. 1975 saw the last expansion of the city’s boundaries, including Queensferry, which had been made a royal burgh in 1636.

ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ selected 2024 to mark the start of the 900th anniversary of our city, and to tell the story of ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½’s journey through the centuries from the 12th century City of David right up to the 21st century, the City of Diversity.

A memorable and fitting celebration

The ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ 900 programme aimed to

• improve civic and community pride by celebrating local heritage and community spaces alongside ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½’s iconic city centre
• raise the profile of the City Collections to residents and visitors through innovative and creative use of the city’s public spaces
• promote partnerships between the Council heritage services, major stakeholders, local creatives, schools, and community groups
• enhance the resilience and diversity of the city’s community heritage groups by encouraging attendance at local events, membership and volunteering.

Working with partners and community groups across the city, we curated a of

• events
• talks
• tours
• tales.

Partner, civic groups and community organisations 

We worked with different groups and organisations in ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ to deliver a varied programme of events and activities such as:

• Historic Environment Scotland 
• Incorporations of Trade of ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½
• Museum on the Mound
• Royal Company of Merchants of the City of ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½
• St Giles Cathedral
• ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ Local Heritage Network.

The programme launched in July 2024 but events and activities continued into 2025.