Athens of the North

English

Proper noun

the Athens of the North

  1. (informal) Nickname for Edinburgh: the capital of Scotland.
    • 1828 September 6, “French Theatricals”, in Leeds Mercury‎[1], volume 61, number 3293, page 4:
      We perceive that a French company of theatrical performers have commenced acting in the Athens of the north with great success.
    • 1991, Charles McKean, Edinburgh: Portrait of a City, →ISBN, page 2:
      Edinburgh is indeed Castle Perilous, an embodiment of pagan myth and magic which protrudes determinedly into the landscape of serene beauty on which they built the Athens of the North.
    • 1998, Michael Wills, Elspeth Wills, Walks in Edinburgh's New Town, →ISBN, page 147:
      Edinburgh, the Athens of the North, boasts more than one Acropolis.
    • 2003 August 3, Stephen Khan, “Athens of the North? Nowadays it's more like Amsterdam”, in The Guardian‎[2]:
      Once prim, Edinburgh city centre is a haven for brothels, lap-dancing clubs and strip bars. The Athens of the North has become the Amsterdam of the North.
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