This list of the tallest buildings and structures in Edinburgh ranks buildings in the Scottish city of Edinburgh by height. There are few high-rise buildings in Edinburgh. The tallest buildings in the city are churches and suburban tower blocks. The administrative area of Edinburgh includes the three bridges across the Firth of Forth to the north-east of the city (the Queensferry Crossing, Forth Road Bridge and Forth Bridge), which are all taller than any building in the city itself.

Tallest buildings in Edinburgh

This list ranks externally complete Edinburgh buildings and free-standing structures that stand more than 50 metres (160 ft) tall, based on standard height measurement. This includes spires and architectural details but does not include antenna masts. An equals sign (=) following a rank indicates the same height between two or more buildings. The "Year" column indicates the year in which a building was completed. Buildings and structures that have been demolished (including the 365 ft (111 m) chimney of Portobello Power Station)[1] are not included.

Some prominent Edinburgh buildings such as St Giles' Cathedral, North Leith Parish Church, Appleton Tower, Mayfield Salisbury Church, West Register House and St John's Portobello are just below this threshold, as are the Melville Monument and numerous residential tower blocks at Craigmillar, Craigour, Greendykes, Lochend, Moredun, Muirhouse, Restalrig and the Calders.

Rank Name Picture Height Coordinates Floors Year Reference
1 St Mary's Episcopal Cathedral 90 m (300 ft) 55°56′56″N 3°12′57″W / 55.948808°N 3.215832°W / 55.948808; -3.215832 (St Mary's Episcopal Cathedral) 1 1879 [2]
2 Barclay Viewforth Church 76 m (249 ft) 55°56′26″N 3°12′13″W / 55.940581°N 3.203597°W / 55.940581; -3.203597 (Barclay Viewforth Church) 1 1864 [3]
3 The Hub 74 m (243 ft) 55°56′56″N 3°11′41″W / 55.948890°N 3.194705°W / 55.948890; -3.194705 (The Hub) 1 1844 [4]
4 Martello Court 64 m (210 ft) 55°58′20″N 3°15′45″W / 55.972350°N 3.262588°W / 55.972350; -3.262588 (Martello Court) 23 1967 Tallest residential building in Edinburgh. Located in Muirhouse.[5][6]
5 Scott Monument 61 m (200 ft) 55°57′09″N 3°11′36″W / 55.952365°N 3.193220°W / 55.952365; -3.193220 (Scott Monument) 1844 [7][8]
6 Fettes College 60 m (200 ft) 55°57′49″N 3°13′34″W / 55.963593°N 3.226098°W / 55.963593; -3.226098 (Fettes College) 6 1869 [9][10]
7= Citadel Court 59 m (194 ft) 55°58′36″N 3°10′40″W / 55.976560°N 3.177676°W / 55.976560; -3.177676 (Citadel Court) 20 1964 Located in Leith.[11][12]
7= Persevere Court 59 m (194 ft) 55°58′37″N 3°10′44″W / 55.977001°N 3.178898°W / 55.977001; -3.178898 (Persevere Court) 20 1964 Located in Leith.[13][14]
9 Edinburgh Airport Control Tower 57 m (187 ft) 55°56′44″N 3°21′51″W / 55.945615°N 3.364224°W / 55.945615; -3.364224 (Edinburgh Airport Control Tower) 2005 [15][16]
10= St George's West Church 56 m (184 ft) 55°56′57″N 3°12′38″W / 55.949300°N 3.210445°W / 55.949300; -3.210445 (St George's West Church) 1869 On Shandwick Place.[17][18]
10= St Peter's Church 56 m (184 ft) 55°56′24″N 3°10′45″W / 55.940112°N 3.179031°W / 55.940112; -3.179031 (St Peter's Church) 1865 On Lutton Place.[19][20]
12 Exchange Tower 55 m (180 ft) 55°56′50″N 3°12′38″W / 55.947297°N 3.210557°W / 55.947297; -3.210557 (Exchange Tower) 13 2001 On Canning Street.[21][22]
13 St James the Less Church 55 m (180 ft) 55°58′20″N 3°10′04″W / 55.972308°N 3.167844°W / 55.972308; -3.167844 (St James the Less Church) 1863 Off Constitution Street.[23][24]
14 Buccleuch Free Church 53 m (174 ft) 55°56′38″N 3°11′05″W / 55.944027°N 3.184817°W / 55.944027; -3.184817 (Buccleuch Free Church) 1861 On West Crosscauseway.[25]
15= Balmoral Hotel 52 m (171 ft) 55°57′11″N 3°11′24″W / 55.953045°N 3.189972°W / 55.953045; -3.189972 (Balmoral Hotel) 10 1902 [26][27]
15= Tron Kirk 52 m (171 ft) 55°57′00″N 3°11′16″W / 55.950040°N 3.187825°W / 55.950040; -3.187825 (Tron Kirk) 1663 [28][29]
15= The Element 52 m (171 ft) 55°59′09″N 3°11′30″W / 55.985885°N 3.191702°W / 55.985885; -3.191702 (Western Harbour (Edinburgh)) 17 2009 Located at Western Harbour.[30][31]
18= Western Harbour Midway 51 m (167 ft) 55°59′09″N 3°11′30″W / 55.985885°N 3.191702°W / 55.985885; -3.191702 (Western Harbour (Edinburgh)) 17 2009 Located at Western Harbour.[32][33]
18= The Shore 51 m (167 ft) 55°59′09″N 3°11′30″W / 55.985885°N 3.191702°W / 55.985885; -3.191702 (Western Harbour (Edinburgh)) 17 2007 Located at Western Harbour.[34][35]
18= Kirkgate House 51 m (167 ft) 55°58′17″N 3°10′15″W / 55.971314°N 3.170963°W / 55.971314; -3.170963 (Kirkgate House) 17 1966 Located in Leith.[36][37]
18= St Andrew's and St George's Church 51 m (167 ft) 55°57′14″N 3°11′45″W / 55.953921°N 3.195777°W / 55.953921; -3.195777 (St Andrew's and St George's Church) 1787 On George Street.[38][39]
22 Portobello and Joppa Parish Church 50 m (160 ft) 55°57′01″N 3°06′10″W / 55.950151°N 3.102718°W / 55.950151; -3.102718 (Portobello and Joppa Parish Church) 1877 On Abercorn Terrace; also known as St Philip's Joppa Church.[40]

Tallest structures in Edinburgh

Rank Structure name Picture Height Coordinates Year opened Reference
1 Queensferry Crossing 207 m (679 ft) 55°59′57″N 3°24′59″W / 55.999270°N 3.416317°W / 55.999270; -3.416317 (Queensferry Crossing) 2017 [41]
2 Forth Road Bridge 156 m (512 ft) 55°59′49″N 3°24′16″W / 55.996996°N 3.404496°W / 55.996996; -3.404496 (Forth Road Bridge) 1964 [42]
3 Forth Bridge 100.6 m (330 ft) 55°59′45″N 3°23′11″W / 55.995937°N 3.386411°W / 55.995937; -3.386411 (Forth Rail Bridge) 1890 [43]
4 Caledonian Distillery chimney 91.4 m (300 ft) 55°56′40″N 3°13′13″W / 55.944557°N 3.220366°W / 55.944557; -3.220366 (Caledonian Distillery Chimney) 1880 [44]

See also

References

  1. ^ The giant lost Edinburgh power station that once dominated the city skyline, Edinburgh Live, 8 February 2022
  2. ^ "St. Mary's Episcopal Cathedral". Emporis. Archived from the original on 7 March 2016.
  3. ^ "Barclay Church". Emporis. Archived from the original on 7 March 2016.
  4. ^ "Tolbooth Kirk". Emporis. Archived from the original on 4 December 2019.
  5. ^ "Martello Court". Emporis. Archived from the original on 7 March 2016.
  6. ^ "Martello Court". SkyscraperPage.
  7. ^ "Scott Monument". Emporis. Archived from the original on 4 December 2019.
  8. ^ "Scott Monument". Skyscrapernews. Retrieved 12 February 2019.
  9. ^ "Fettes College". SkyscraperPage.
  10. ^ "Fettes College". Skyscrapernews. Retrieved 12 February 2019.
  11. ^ "Citadel Court". Emporis. Archived from the original on 4 December 2019.
  12. ^ "Citadel Court". SkyscraperPage.
  13. ^ "Persevere Court". Emporis. Archived from the original on 4 December 2019.
  14. ^ "Persevere Court". SkyscraperPage.
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  19. ^ "St. Peter's Church". Emporis. Archived from the original on 4 December 2019.
  20. ^ "St Peters Church". Skyscrapernews. Retrieved 12 February 2019.
  21. ^ "Exchange Tower". Emporis. Archived from the original on 4 December 2019.
  22. ^ "Exchange Tower". SkyscraperPage.
  23. ^ "St. James the Less Church". Emporis. Archived from the original on 4 December 2019.
  24. ^ "St James the Less Church". Skyscrapernews. Retrieved 12 February 2019.
  25. ^ "History". Buccleuch Free Church. Retrieved 28 February 2019.
  26. ^ "The Balmoral". Emporis. Archived from the original on 4 December 2019.
  27. ^ "Balmoral Hotel". SkyscraperPage.
  28. ^ "Tron Kirk". Emporis. Archived from the original on 4 December 2019.
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  30. ^ "The Element". Emporis. Archived from the original on 4 December 2019.
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  32. ^ "Western Harbour". SkyscraperPage.
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  34. ^ "The Shore". Emporis. Archived from the original on 4 December 2019.
  35. ^ "The Shore". Skyscrapernews. Retrieved 12 February 2019.
  36. ^ "Kirkgate House". Emporis. Archived from the original on 4 December 2019.
  37. ^ "Kirkgate House". SkyscraperPage.
  38. ^ "St. Andrew and St. George's Church". Emporis. Archived from the original on 4 December 2019.
  39. ^ "St Andrews and St Georges Church". Skyscrapernews. Retrieved 12 February 2019.
  40. ^ "St. Philip's Joppa". Emporis. Archived from the original on 4 December 2019.
  41. ^ "Queensferry Crossing becomes UK's tallest bridge". BBC News. 13 August 2015. Retrieved 1 March 2019.
  42. ^ "Forth Road Bridge Facts and Figures". Forth Bridges Visitors Centre Trust. Archived from the original on 17 February 2012. Retrieved 29 February 2012.
  43. ^ "Forth Rail Bridge Facts and Figures". Forth Bridges Visitors Centre Trust. Archived from the original on 23 December 2012. Retrieved 29 February 2012.
  44. ^ "Caledonian". ScotchWhisky.com. Retrieved 16 February 2019.
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