Scott Monument

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Travellers emerging from Waverley Station expecting to see austere classical architecture may gawp in disbelief at the Victorian Gothic ostentation of the Scott Monument. Designed by the self-taught architect George Meikle Kemp, the monument houses a vast white marble statue of Sir Walter Scott (by John Steell) as well as 64 statuettes, mostly of Scott's characters but with a few notable figures from Scottish history thrown in for good measure. It was completed in 1846, 14 years after Scott's death, using funds raised from public donations, which shows how dearly Edinburghers felt about the famous author. The views from the top are superb, but the final flight of steps up to the pinnacle is a squeeze.