Victoria Street in Edinburgh, Scotland  7 Jun 2025

Technicolour shopfronts, an elegant curve and a double-decker layout—this is Victoria Street in Edinburgh, Scotland. This street was built between 1829 and 1834 as part of a plan to modernise the city and improve access to Grassmarket from George IV Bridge. The architect, Thomas Hamilton, took one look at the steep hill and decided to lean into it—literally—designing a graceful curve that follows the natural contour of the land. He even added a terrace of arched shops on the upper level, creating a sort of two-tiered retail sandwich.

© Michael Greene/iStock/Getty Images

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