Forth Bridge voted Scotland's greatest man made wonder
The Forth Bridge has been voted Scotland’s greatest man made wonder in new research by VisitScotland as part of the Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design 2016.
The 126 year old bridge and UNESCO World Heritage Site pipped Edinburgh Castle, The Kelpies and the Glenfinnan Viaduct to the top spot, with 30% of the votes in the survey.
An icon of Victorian engineering, the Forth Bridge is a distinctive cantilever railway bridge over the Firth of Forth in eastern Scotland, which was opened in 1890 by the Prince of Wales, the future Edward VII.
Other ‘wonders’ on the list include Stirling Castle, Falkirk Wheel, Caledonian Canal, Scott Monument, Bell Rock Lighthouse and Melrose Abbey.
Malcolm Roughead, Chief Executive of VisitScotland, said: “It is no surprise that our awe-inspiring Forth Bridge has taken the top spot in this research and it is wonderful to see that new man made wonders like The Kelpies are already proving a hit with visitors.
“2016 has shone a significant spotlight on Scotland’s achievements in innovation, architecture and design through a wide-range of activity designed to boost tourism in Scotland. I hope many people continue to make architectural pilgrimages to Scotland throughout the rest of this year and beyond to discover some of our truly remarkable sights.”
Janet Redler, Chief Executive of Janet Redler Travel & Tourism, added: “It is fascinating to see just how significant the Forth Railway Bridge has become, even beating Edinburgh Castle to the title of Scotland’s greatest man made wonder.
“Recognised around the world, the bridge was the first major structure in Britain to be made of steel, and its remarkable design has made it an important symbol of Scotland.”
The poll of 2,025 UK adults was conducted in August 2016 by Opinion Matters for VisitScotland. Scotland’s top ten greatest man made wonders, as revealed by the research, are as follows:
- Forth Bridge (30%)
- Edinburgh Castle (13%)
- The Kelpies (8%)
- Glenfinnan Viaduct (7%)
- Stirling Castle (5%)
- Falkirk Wheel (5%)
- Caledonian Canal (5%)
- Scott Monument (4%)
- Bell Rock Lighthouse (4%)
- Melrose Abbey (3%)
If you or your group would like to visit Scotland’s greatest landmarks, then why not contact us and we will put together a tailor made tour for you.
