The Edimburg Castlepositioned on the rocky hill Castle Rock, is an engineering work characterized by a stratification of interventions that embrace centuries of history. Every stone, every wall, each tower tells the evolution of construction techniques and military strategies. The castle has had several crucial functions over time: from powerful fortress to Royal Residencepassing through government headquarters, deposit of weapons and prison. It was King Giacomo IV who designated the castle as his own residence, while maintaining his original defensive function intact. So let’s see how the defensive needs And housing they shaped the structure of the castle, revealing the engineering challenges and the solutions adopted over time. From foundations on an irregular and difficult soil, up to the problems of water supplyup to the landslides, the Castle of Edinburgh, a UNESCO heritage since 1995, is one of the greatest examples of how medieval engineers have proven their skills and their technical preparation.
The characteristics of the castle and points of interest
The site where Edinburg Castle stands, according to historical sources, is occupied by human settlements since the late bronze age, that is, from the XII century. AC while the first military fortifications would have arisen around the VII sec. A.D. The current buildings of the castle were built mainly between the XVI and the 21st century.
The castle stands on the top of a rocky hill, Castle Rock, which is located about 130 meters above sea level. So, his height varies according to the measurement point. There is no precise number of rooms, given that the castle is a complex of buildings with different functions. For example, we can find a series of important historical buildings and monuments, such as the Chapel of Santa Margheritalocated inside the Castle of Edinburgh, which represents a remarkable example of Romanesque architecture, with engineering and architectural characteristics that reflect the construction techniques of the twelfth century.
Then we find the Hall of honor (Great Hall), An imposing room dating back to the 16th century, with a wooden beam ceiling and Renaissance decorations, which was used for official ceremonies and banquets. We then have The Tower of Davide (David’s Tower), A medieval tower that offered a panoramic view of the city and the surrounding hills, used as a point of observation and defense.
Last, the Mons Meg, A huge siege cannon of the fifteenth century, which represents an example of military technology of the time. The Mons Meg shoots a blank cannion every day at 13:00, allowing citizens of Edinburgh to adjust the watches.
Geology and construction of the castle
The military building stands on one basaltic surface of volcanic origin and, with his 120 mslm. It gives the Castle an interesting strategic position which, over the centuries, has proved to be useful by attacks by enemies, offering a natural defense. The castle, in fact, is accessible only from east sidewith the other completely inaccessible sides due to the very high peak walls.
The irregular nature of the rocky soil has represented, for the engineers, an important challenge over the centuries, requesting constant interventions to re -read the entire structure according to the needs Not only military, but also natural. The first challenge was that relating to changes made to the ground On which the castle was then erected: the use of terraces, support and containment walls, they made it possible to make the land less irregular. The foundations were built using local materials, mainly sandstone, a resistant and lasting local stone.
The problem of water supply
Due to the elevated and difficult to reach position, Edinburgh Castle has found himself, practically since he was erected, to have water supply problems. Over the centuries, they have been built Pozzi to draw on underground water. However, these wells could be difficult to dig and did not always guarantee sufficient supply.
For this reason they were also made cisterns to collect rainwater From the roofs and surfaces of the castle: this solution was particularly important in case of siege, when access to external water sources could be interrupted. During prolonged sieges, in fact, the lack of water could become a problem of no small importance.
The population of the castle had to rely on the stored reserves, which could be exhausted quickly. This led to the death of several people due to thirst during the longest assaults in time. In the modern era, with the progress of technologies, new solutions for water supply have been introduced, such as the installation of pipes and pumping systems.
The problem of landslides and the fall of the boulders
One of the main ones geotechnical problems That the Scottish institutions have had to face in recent years, to protect the value of this monument, is that relating to the landslides of the land below the castle. The soil below the structure, in fact, over the years has been subject to several episodes of landslide And fell boulders, With unpleasant consequences. In 2019, in fact, a man was seriously wounded due to the fall of a rock, plunged on him as he traveled a path adjacent to the castle.
During a routine inspection, geotechnical engineers detected a “remarkable deterioration“of the rocky slope compared to an inspection of 2019. They have been identified”potential rupture masses“who represent a”significant risk of falling falls“. TheHistoric Environment Scotland (Hes) has granted the authorization to install Anti-cadent networks boulders And reinforce the rocky wall. The works include the installation of a containment network under the former Piping School and the grouting of cracks in the rock and in the joint between the rock and the surrounding wall.
The perforations for the anchors will be performed with jet of water or rotary percussion, depending on the depth and position. The works will be supervised by Fairhurst and Hes, with the installation of the networks performed by a specialized contractor.
