Beneath the ancient fortified city of Edinburgh, Scotland lie the South Bridge Vaults—notorious underground tunnels and chambers that became the dwelling places of the impoverished and the villainous.
At first, the dark stone vaults served as houses and workspaces for tradesmen and merchants. But as conditions deteriorated, the poorest of Edinburgh’s citizens lived, and very often died, there. Prostitution, poverty, violence, and illness consumed the vaults, and infamous serial killers hid their dirty work in the stone recesses.
Early History of the Edinburgh Vaults: Shops, Living Quarters
The city of Edinburgh straddles seven major hills. Castle Rock has been a site of human habitation since the 2nd century A.D. The iconic Edinburgh Castle and formidable fortifications were built on the site around the 12th century A.D. to protect against invaders and sieges.
