In a remarkable blend of heritage rehabilitation and social empowerment, a new initiative is set to bring Edinburgh’s newly refurbished North Bridge into the spotlight. A collaboration between Invisible Cities and the City of Edinburgh Council aims to unveil engaging walking tours of the restored bridge—melding architectural grandeur with deeply human stories. Other partners collaborating on this project are Balfour Beatty and Edinburgh Museums and Galleries.
The North Bridge Refurbishment: A Restoration Marathon
The iconic North Bridge, a Category A listed structure linking Old Town to New Town, has undergone a transformative refurbishment since 2018. The restoration process has included grit blasting and repainting of steel and cast-iron elements, concrete deck repair, installation of structural health systems, and restoration of the King’s Own Scottish Borderers War Memorial. The project also integrated a 165 m maintenance platform assembled from 60,000 components, ensuring smooth future upkeep.
Walking Tours: Where Heritage Meets Human Story
With scaffolding finally lifting, the refurbished North Bridge offers a fresh canvas for immersive storytelling. This is where the Invisible Cities guides step in—crafting walking tours that weave together historical knowledge, personal narrative, and the renewed architectural splendor of the bridge.
These specially curated tours will:
- Showcase the bridge’s newly restored features
- Highlight voices often left out of mainstream narratives
- Invite locals and visitors alike to explore North Bridge through a fresh lens
📅 Free Tours: September 10th–27th
To celebrate the reopening and make the experience accessible to all, a series of free walking tours will be held from September 10th to 27th. Bookings can be done via the links below.
A virtual/video tour is also in development and will be made available on our website and social media channels soon!
Join jus on a tour- choose your date!
Wednesday September 10th at 1pm
Wednesday September 17th at 1pm
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This blend of heritage rehabilitation and social empowerment sounds truly remarkable! I’m particularly intrigued by the melding of architectural grandeur with human stories – a walking tour seems the perfect way to experience the refurbished North Bridge. Will these tours delve into the stories of the workers involved in the restoration by Balfour Beatty?
Thank you so much! sadly no, but we are VERY soon releasing a virtual tour that will definitely have footage from the team, so stay tuned 🙂