Sherlock Holmes Statue

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was born on May 22, 1859, and would go on to create the most iconic characters in literature: Sherlock Holmes. This statue, located close to Doyle's birthplace, was unveiled on June 24, 1991, and built to commemorate the author and his work. 

In the statue, Sherlock Holmes stands tall, with a pensive look on his face and an iconic curved pipe in hand. He appears to be midstride from his position above the column bearing the plaque dedicated to his author. Beneath this, his name is carved into stone. Though the detective is fictional, the design choice is consistent with many statues of real people around Edinburgh—fitting for a character with such life and longevity.

This statue was stowed away on and off for many years during tram construction and repairs to the disappointment of many fans but it has since been reinstated. The statue was unveiled again on September 13, 2023, by a relative of Doyle and inventor of the Sherlock Holmes tartan in a grand, long-awaited return fitting of the detective.

What would a monument to the creator of one of the world's greatest sleuths be without a little bit of a mystery? For those in the know, combined with an adventurous spirit worthy of the immortalized detective, one can view a set of various-sized animal prints embedded in the metal platform. Could these indicate the presence of the titular beast from one of the author's most well-known novels? Or are they representative of the city's mascot to the author's birthplace? To quote the private investigator, "the game is afoot"!