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Photo: kim traynor, CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
The present building is a collegiate church of 1429, becoming a parish church in 1646, and re-modeled in 1828.
Corstorphine Old Parish Church, formerly St. John's Collegiate Church, is at the old centre of Corstorphine, a village incorporated to the west area of Edinburgh. Built in the 15th century, in the churchyard of a 12th-century or earlier chapel, the former collegiate church was listed category A by Historic Scotland on 14 December 1970.
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The pandas have returned to China but there's still plenty here. Penguins include gentoo, rockhopper and king, most famously Major General Sir Nils Olav III, Baron of the Bouvet Islands and mascot of the Norwegian King's Guard. Budongo Trail leads through the troupe of 15 chimpanzees. The only koalas in the UK are here, and there are some beautiful tropical birds. The zoo is on the slopes of Corstorphine Hill and some paths are steep but all attractions are wheelchair accessible. Check the website for cheaper online offers, and temporary closures eg in harsh weather or avian flu outbreaks.
The main stadium has a capacity of 67,000 and hosts all Scottish rugby internationals. The premier tournament is the Six Nations held each February-March: in odd-numbered years, Scotland hosts Wales, Ireland and Italy, and in even-numbered years the visitors are England and France. These games almost always sell out, and the city is mobbed when they're on; you've more chance of tickets and accommodation for other internationals which take place each November, or, if it's a Rugby World Cup year, warm-up friendly games in the summer. Stadium tours are available on non-match days.
This 1590s tower house was extended in the 1820s and housed a series of prosperous families. It passed into council ownership in 1926 and the interior has been preserved in its last occupants' plush Edwardian style. Visit by pre-booked guided tour. There is free entry to the gardens (daily 8AM-4:30PM), where the centrepiece is the Japanese garden. The castle is also used as an event space.
Mainly mainstream cinema with some art-house & foreign cinema. IMAX screen.
Creative centre for printmaking & visual arts, Two free galleries & shop. Vegan Cafe.
The Spartans play soccer in Scottish League Two, the fourth tier. Their ground Ainslie Park (Vanloq Community Stadium) holds 3612, of which 534 are seated. It's in Pilton, northwest of the city centre.