Читать книгу Edinburgh – Sights and Secrets - Andrea Weil - Страница 20
Оглавлениеa study in crime novels – arthur conan doyle’s edinburgh
text and photo patricia kämpf
When you think of Sherlock Holmes, you probably think of the foggy Victorian streets of Old London, but the world’s greatest sleuth has a surprising connection to Edinburgh: his creator, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, was born here in 1859. And if you’re observant, you will find some clues to his story.
Conan Doyle studied medicine at the University of Edinburgh Medical School – a place you can still visit today. There he studied under Professor Joseph Bell, whose observant habits loosely inspired Conan Doyle’s most famous character. Sherlock Holmes’ fame grew to outshine that of his creator, so it’s not surprising that the statue you find in Picardy Place is of the fictional detective, and not of Arthur Conan Doyle himself.
Across from the statue is the Conan Doyle Pub, a nice and cosy place to have some fish and chips. And if you’re in the mood to travel back to Conan Doyle’s time, there are many secondhand bookshops here to help you do just that – perfect for a rainy afternoon. Or you can just stroll around town, imagining Sherlock Holmes stepping out of one of the many Victorian houses. In Tollcross, southwest of the city centre, you might even stumble across Holmes’ nemesis, Moriarty…
Sherlock Holmes Statue: Picardy Place.
The Conan Doyle Pub, 71-73 York Place, Edinburgh EH1 3JD.
Sun - Thu 10am - 11pm, Fri - Sat 10am - midnight.
Fish and chips for £11.75.
www.nicholsonspubs.co.uk
University of Edinburgh Medical School
Teviot Place, Edinburgh, EH8 9AG.
Armchair Books, 72-74 West Port, Edinburgh EH1 2LE.
10.30am - 6.30pm (every day).
