The Mercat Cross stands in Parliament Square on Edinburgh’s Royal Mile, beside St Giles’ Cathedral. It marks a historic meeting place where merchants gathered and official announcements were read aloud. Public announcements and executions took place here from at least 1365. The cross you see today was erected in 1885, with part of the medieval structure incorporated into its shaft. Pause here to look closely at the monument, or meet a Mercat Tours guide nearby for a history tour.
A meeting place on the Royal Mile
The Mercat Cross stood at the centre of Edinburgh’s old city and served the business community as a place to meet. Official communications were read aloud here, and the site was also used for public executions. Its role in public life dates back to at least 1365.
Before James VI left Scotland in 1603 to become James I of England, the cross was regarded as the centre of the Scottish kingdom. In the 18th century, the surrounding area was also a focal point for the Scottish Enlightenment. Economists and philosophers including David Hume and William Robertson were associated with the area.
The cross you see today
The present monument was erected in its current position in 1885. Part of the original 14th-century cross was incorporated into its shaft. It stands outside the eastern end of St Giles’ Cathedral, in Parliament Square on the Royal Mile.
Tours from the cross
Mercat Tours uses the cross as a meeting point for history tours. The route can include the Blair Street Underground Vaults, and guides cover Old Town landmarks along the Royal Mile. If you join a tour, collect an audio device from your guide at the cross.
Häufige Fragen
Where is the Mercat Cross in Edinburgh?
It stands in Parliament Square on the Royal Mile, beside St Giles’ Cathedral.
How old is the Mercat Cross?
The site was used for public announcements and executions from at least 1365. The present monument was erected in 1885 and includes part of the original cross.
Can you join a tour at the Mercat Cross?
Mercat Tours uses the cross as a meeting point for history tours, which can include the Blair Street Underground Vaults.
