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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 Clementinum is a historic complex of buildings in Prague. Until recently the complex hosted the National, University and Technical libraries, the City Library also being located nearby on Mariánské Náměstí. The Technical library and the Municipal library have moved to the Prague National Technical Library at Technická 6 since 2009. It is currently in use as the National Library of the Czech Republic.
Its history dates from the existence of a chapel dedicated to Saint Clement in the 11th century. A Dominican monastery was founded in the medieval period, which was transformed in 1556 to a Jesuit college. In 1622 the Jesuits transferred the library of Charles University to the Klementinum, and the college was merged with the University in 1654. The Jesuits remained until 1773, when the Klementinum was established as an observatory, library, and university by the Empress Maria Theresa of Austria.