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Founded: 18th centuryCategory: Historic city squares, old towns and villages in United Kingdom
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Inspired by the lofty ideals of the Scottish Enlightenment, the neat and ordered grid of the Edinburgh New Town provides an elegant contrast to the labyrinthine design of the Old Town. Its broad streets boast spectacular neoclassical and Georgian architecture, with a wealth of beautiful buildings perfectly preserved since their construction in the 18th and 19th centuries.
Visitors are treated to a glimpse of how the city's upper classes lived in the 18th century on a trip to the exquisite Georgian House in Charlotte Square, open from March to November. The recently refurbished Scottish National Portrait Gallery, just a short walk away on Queen Street, houses a magnificent collection of paintings and photographs of Scotland’s most iconic figures, from Mary Queen of Scots to Sean Connery and beyond.
The upmarket George Street is filled with sophisticated designer shops and chic bars and restaurants, while neighbouring Dundas Street is home to galleries, antique shops and independent boutiques, all located in lovely Georgian buildings.
Edinburgh New Town is part of UNESCO World Heritage Site of The Old and New Towns of Edinburgh, inscribed by in 1995.
References:The eight towns in south-eastern Sicily, including Ragusa, were all rebuilt after 1693 on or beside towns existing at the time of the earthquake which took place in that year. They represent a considerable collective undertaking, successfully carried out at a high level of architectural and artistic achievement. Keeping within the late Baroque style of the day, they also depict distinctive innovations in town planning and urban building. Together with seven other cities in the Val di Noto, it is part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
In 1693 Ragusa was devastated by a huge earthquake, which killed some 5,000 inhabitants. Following this catastrophe the city was largely rebuilt, and many Baroque buildings from this time remain in the city. Most of the population moved to a new settlement in the former district of Patro, calling this new municipality 'Ragusa Superiore' (Upper Ragusa) and the ancient city 'Ragusa Inferiore' (Lower Ragusa). The two cities remained separated until 1926, when they were fused together to become a provincial capital in 1927.