Princes Street was part of the original Edinburgh New Town designed by James Craig in 1767 and was originally intended to be a residential street.
Named after the sons of King George III, it wasn’t the desirable area it is today – the proximity of the recently-drained Nor’ Loch, that took up much of the area where Princes Street Gardens is today, meant it was a initially a fairly smelly and dirty part of town.
It wasn’t until Victorian times that shops, hotels and businesses started to move in and some of the most recognisable landmarks were added, including the Debenhams building that was built in 1884 as a Conservative Club and the former Jenners department store, built in 1895.
By the time of the 1950s and 1960s it was very much the place to be seen – and to shop – and was also used for an array of colourful marches and processions.
Here are 25 pictures to take you back to those days.
5. Happy Norway Day
Another Princes Street march - this time by Norwegian students to mark Norway Day on May 17, 1966. Photo: Alan Ledgerwood
6. Cooling down
Some happy children are pictured enjoying the summer with ice creams in Princes Street Gardens in June 1965. Photo: Unknown
7. Swinging Sixties
Princes Street Gardens used to be home to a popular putting green. Teenagers are pictured testing their golfing skills there in April 1966. Photo: Alan Ledgerwood
8. Little luxuries
Those in the market for the most fashionable of lingerie in the 1960s headed straight for the underwear department of Binns Department Store, on Princes Street. This picture was taken in 1965. Photo: Alan Ledgerwood