Nelson Monument
Nelson Monument
4.1
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tours & experiences
Explore different ways to experience this place.
What is Travelers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travelers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travelers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Top ways to experience Nelson Monument and nearby attractions
Are you currently on your trip?
Help us find experiences available for you.
The area
Address
Neighborhood: Broughton & Calton
Lying where grandiose New Town townhouses give way to malls and utilitarian housing, Broughton and Calton have long been transitional neighborhoods with a mixed identity. It’s here that Edinburgh’s gay village found a home in the 1980s. But gay culture is anything but overt along bustling epicenter Broughton Street; even if polished pubs, hip bistros, smart delis and art galleries all speak of affluent good taste. The top of Leith Walk is more ragged. This major thoroughfare boasts a famously gritty gay club, as well as a strip of good Indian restaurants. Regal Georgian and Victorian townhouses preside over largely deserted streets in Calton, where only the occasional restaurant or hotel brings much life. Even so, a steady trickle of idlers and picnickers pass by to climb Calton Hill for its wide-open lawns, wonderful city views, and curious monuments – an Athenian-style temple among them.
Reach out directly
Best nearby
Restaurants
2,254 within 3 miles
Attractions
563 within 6 miles
See what travelers are saying
- Sharon R120 contributionsWe paid the 6 pounds to climb the Nelson Monument and it was totally worth it. The views from the top are spectacular. You can see all of Edinburgh (360 degrees) and there are visuals at the top that let you know what you are looking at. We were the only ones at the top when we visited …. so we were able to spend a lot of time with the guide at the top… Max. He pointed out places to us as well as giving us history lessons that were so interested. This is a great alternative to climbing Arthur’s Seat if you want great views.Visited November 2024Traveled as a coupleWritten November 7, 2024
- Sylwia_1984Laziska Gorne, Poland235 contributionsGood place for 🧺. Good place to spend time with friends and enjoy yourself on fresh air. Fresh view. Amazing and breathtaking view on whole Edinburgh. It is possible to climb on with price of 8 pounds. One of the best place in the middle of town.Visited May 2024Traveled with familyWritten June 5, 2024
- Sara G.Saint Louis, Missouri968 contributionsNelson Monument. Haratio Nelson was a Navy Admiral. The monument was built between 1807 and 1816 to commemorate Nelson’s victory over the French and Spanish during the Napoleonic Wars. In 1852, they installed a time ball. The ball would drop at exactly 1:00 as a signal to ships, enabling captains to check the accuracy of their chronometers. Guys. It rains constantly and is foggy. This made no sense. Professor Charles Piazzi Smith, the Astronomer Royal in Scotland did not think this through.Visited May 2024Traveled with friendsWritten June 3, 2024
- Jayne SWarwick, Australia10 contributionsWonderful friendly staff. When I got to the top of the 143 stairs we were greeted by another staff member. He was so friendly and helpful. I wish I knew his name! He deserves heaps of praise! He answered my questions, gave local knowledge. The views were incredible. It was marvellous up there. £6 to visit but that also included the museum and heaps of great info about Admiral Nelson. Interesting to read about the time ball too.Visited July 2024Traveled soloWritten July 30, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Contribute
Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.1
358 reviews
Excellent
118
Very good
157
Average
70
Poor
10
Terrible
3
Brian T
London, UK8,091 contributions
Oct 2022 • Solo
Calton Hill has a number of monuments which you can see from afar, and which you can also see at fairly close range if you climb the series of steps you’ll find on the path leading off the eastern end of Waterloo Place (the continuation of Princes Street). The path up is clearly signed, and not too steep though understandably there’s a good few steps to climb.
Perched at the highest point on Calton Hill is probably the most curious of all the monuments on the hill. It looks a bit like an upturned telescope. It is the Nelson Monument, and commemorates Admiral Lord Nelson's victory, and death, at the battle of Trafalgar on 21 October 1805. The monument was designed by the architect Robert Burn, and was built between 1807 and 1815. It’s 105 feet (32 metres) tall. The castellated design reflects the castellated prison buildings which stood on the south side of Calton Hill in the early 19th century. A mechanized time ball was added to the Monument in 1852 to enable captains of ships moored in the Firth of Forth to set their chronometers for accurate navigation by observing the dropping of the ball at one o'clock GMT each day. The firing of the One O’Clock Gun at Edinburgh Castle was synchronized with this to augment this time-keeping feature.
Unfortunately the small free museum at its base, and the viewing platform 143 steps up the monument, have been closed since the pandemic. You can walk around its base and that will give you a good idea of its perspective.
Combine it with a visit to the other monuments on Calton Hill and you will have a reasonable outing for an hour or so, and you’ll be able to enjoy the wonderful views of the city and surroundings from the hill.
Perched at the highest point on Calton Hill is probably the most curious of all the monuments on the hill. It looks a bit like an upturned telescope. It is the Nelson Monument, and commemorates Admiral Lord Nelson's victory, and death, at the battle of Trafalgar on 21 October 1805. The monument was designed by the architect Robert Burn, and was built between 1807 and 1815. It’s 105 feet (32 metres) tall. The castellated design reflects the castellated prison buildings which stood on the south side of Calton Hill in the early 19th century. A mechanized time ball was added to the Monument in 1852 to enable captains of ships moored in the Firth of Forth to set their chronometers for accurate navigation by observing the dropping of the ball at one o'clock GMT each day. The firing of the One O’Clock Gun at Edinburgh Castle was synchronized with this to augment this time-keeping feature.
Unfortunately the small free museum at its base, and the viewing platform 143 steps up the monument, have been closed since the pandemic. You can walk around its base and that will give you a good idea of its perspective.
Combine it with a visit to the other monuments on Calton Hill and you will have a reasonable outing for an hour or so, and you’ll be able to enjoy the wonderful views of the city and surroundings from the hill.
Written November 5, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
HINA W
Islamabad, Pakistan7,327 contributions
Aug 2022 • Family
This monument is located on the Calton Hill. It is dedicated to Admiral Lord Horatio Nelson who was a British war hero. He is famous for his victories at sea specially the Battle of Trafalgar, fought in 1805, in which he was mortally wounded. Nelson died after the Battle of Trafalgar. The Scots decided to commemorate his death. It was completed in 1816. I feel that this monument looks like an upside down telescope. A Time Ball was added to it in 1852. This was done to assist the seamen moored in the Firth of Forth to set their chronometers. This Times Ball still drops at precisely one o’clock daily.
Written July 17, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Malgorzata
12,069 contributions
Oct 2019
Cool place to visit. The Nelson Monument is a commemorative tower in honour of Vice Admiral Horatio Nelson. The monument was built between 1807 and 1815 to commemorate Nelson's victory over the French and Spanish fleets at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805, and his own death at the same battle. Great views from top. If you want to go upstairs, the door that opens from the stairs to the upper viewing platform is rather narrow and cramped and there are also a lot of stairs so consider if you really want to get to the top. Nice opportunity to take photos .
Written August 29, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
johnhouston2
Knaresborough, UK5,451 contributions
Oct 2020
The Nelson Monument is a distinctive-looking structure in that it is constructed in the shape of a telescope, which is entirely fitting. Other than that, I agree with previous reviewers who suggest that the monument on its own isn't really worth making a great effort to visit, particularly during these Covid times when it is closed.
That said, however, Calton Hill is most certainly worth visiting - so you may as well visit the monument while you're here!
That said, however, Calton Hill is most certainly worth visiting - so you may as well visit the monument while you're here!
Written November 15, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Steviefull
Kidderminster, UK2,141 contributions
Aug 2020
On its own probably not worth visiting, but Calton Hill certainly is and the few monuments and buildings up here make for a good way to spend a couple of hours.
The monument to commemorate Horatio Nelson is around 200 years old and is shaped like an upturned telescope in his honour.
Apparently there is an information centre in the building but this was closed (I assume covid related) when we visited.
The monument to commemorate Horatio Nelson is around 200 years old and is shaped like an upturned telescope in his honour.
Apparently there is an information centre in the building but this was closed (I assume covid related) when we visited.
Written October 31, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ljubica B
London, UK8,484 contributions
Nov 2022 • Family
Nice place to visit unfortunately was closed I believe the views will be even better from the top of the tower. Is lovely to see the transition from day to night…. I advice to bring a pair of trainers
Written November 20, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
thejonny2015
Edinburgh, UK2 contributions
Mar 2016 • Couples
I wanted to pay using small change and £1 coins. The Warden in charge, who we found out is called Ian, was a nightmare. Rude, arrogant, moaned about us trying to pay with change, even though there are NO signs or warnings change is not acceptable. This guy really let Edinburgh down badly, thankfully not all of our experiences have been like this! We also heard the guy arguing with someone else on our way down, seems Ian isn't cut out for serving the public. The Tower itself offers great views of Edinburgh, just a shame the experience was spoiled by such a horrible, rude man.
Written May 12, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Heng How N
Singapore, Singapore7,600 contributions
Jul 2018 • Couples
This monument is sitting on top of Calton Hill. From afar in the city, you can see this monument in Princes Street. Once at the foot of Calton Hill, the fleet of steps will lead you dircetly to the monument.
It opens the door at 8:30am for visitor to buy the ticket to go up the monument to enjoy the beautiful view of Edinburgh city and the ground floor about Nelson and the war exhibition. The monument is actually a design of telescope used by the sea vessel captain.
It opens the door at 8:30am for visitor to buy the ticket to go up the monument to enjoy the beautiful view of Edinburgh city and the ground floor about Nelson and the war exhibition. The monument is actually a design of telescope used by the sea vessel captain.
Written August 4, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Amietheexplorer
Edinburgh, UK10 contributions
May 2018 • Friends
Whilst I can highly recommend the view at the top of the monument the museum was basic to say the least and the staff were neither helpful or friendly. When I found my bag caught in the turnstile, the help i received from the ticket man was below what I expected from a £5 admission. After abruptly telling me to be quiet whilst I was in distress he proceeded to offer little advice other than ‘Go backwards’. He clearly hadn’t worked there very long as turnstiles do not spin backwards. He then left me to struggle further before I managed to free myself. All in all a very eventful trip no thanks to the staff. Please be aware if anyone else gets stuck in future they will not run to your aid.
Written May 20, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
RetiredWazza
Daylesford, Australia733 contributions
Oct 2014 • Couples
Sure it was 140 steps but the view, even in the cool wind, enables you to form opinions about Edinburgh - the Old & the New, the relationship to Leith, the importance of open space and of the castles at both ends of the Royal mile/High Street, the positioning and look of Parliament and the reason geography really created Edinburgh.
The museum is also worth the time so that the hysteria and importance of Nelson's victory and the Merchant Navy are better understood.
Very much worth the visit.
The museum is also worth the time so that the hysteria and importance of Nelson's victory and the Merchant Navy are better understood.
Very much worth the visit.
Written October 19, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Showing results 1-1 of 1
Related Stories
*Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.
Is this your Tripadvisor listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim your listing