Scottish Fact of the Day: The Lincoln Monument

Published on 31/05/2012 18:16

THERE are a great many monuments in Edinburgh to famous personalities, but one of the lesser-known was built in memory of the 16th President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln.

Situated in the Old Calton Cemetery on Waterloo Place, it is thought to be the first monument to an American president outwith the United States. It was built in memory of the Scottish soldiers who had fought in the American Civil War, and carries one of Lincoln’s famous quotations: “To preserve the jewel of liberty in the framework of freedom.” There are a number of well-known personalities buried or commemorated in the Old Calton Cemetery - including a mausoleum in memory of the philosopher David Hume.

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