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.
9. Marie had a little lamb
Marie Cadzow, of East Lothian, takes her pet lamb for a walk in Princes Street Edinburgh in March 1966. Photo: Ian Porteous
10. Final reductions
The annual sales on Princes Street were a serious business. This picture shows shoppers file through the doors at Small's of Princes Street on the first day of their sale in June 1966. Photo: Albert Jordan
11. Research
Senior boys from Daniel Stewart's school are pictured interviewing shoppers as part of a project in 1966. Photo: Albert Jordan
12. Ice to see you
There were few more popular businesses on a hot May day in 1966 that the ice cream kiosk in Princes Street Gardens. Photo: Ian Porteous