Edinburgh Military Tattoo

The Massed Pipes and Drums More Tattoo Images

The Edinburgh Military Tattoo began life in 1950 as the Army's contribution to the Edinburgh International Festival, then three years old. The programme comprised just eight items and in the first year there were no stands: the audience watched from the Esplanade itself.

Guard of Honour Horse Artillery Commanding Officer Mind Those Bayonets...

Stands for spectators first appeared the following year, but have grown since. Those in use today seat some 9,000 people and are constructed from over 10,000m of steel tubing and 20,000 nuts and bolts.

Over the years the Edinburgh Tattoo has gained a reputation for excellence and spectacle that is unmatched anywhere. The first overseas participants were the Band of the Royal Netherlands Grenadiers in 1952, and since then over 30 countries from all parts of the globe have contributed participants.

And if the cast list is truly international, so is the audience. Of over 200,000 people who see the Tattoo live each year, some 70% come from outwith Scotland, and of them half are from overseas. A further 100 million watch it each year on TV in 30 countries.

For the audience, the experience begins with the walk up Castle Hill towards the bulk of the stands that loom over the Castle Esplanade. The process of getting 9,000 people into their seats is as slick and well rehearsed as the show itself.

Normal performances of the Tattoo are timed to allow full appreciation of the last of the post-sunset light, silhouetting the imposing bulk of Edinburgh Castle. Catch it on the right day and this can itself add dramatically to the spectacle of the event.

The programme for the Tattoo varies from year to year. Images on this page and on the additional page of Tattoo images give an impression of the 2003 show.

Some elements are consistent from year to year. The massed pipes and drums of the Scottish regiments, usually incorporating guests from as far afield as South Australia, are at the core of any Tattoo. And the show always features a lone piper located high on the battlements of Edinburgh Castle.

Edinburgh Castle in Red		...in Undiscovered Scotland Green
...in Blue		...and Even in Red, White and Blue

At the end of each show the Finale brings onto the Esplanade all the performers from that night's event - in 2003 over 1000 people - for a climax that includes the taking of the salute and an impressive fireworks display. Participants then march down High Street before the spectators follow them.

No description, no set of images, and no TV presentation can possibly do justice to the true Tattoo experience. Location, atmosphere and stunning performance combine to form an unforgettable evening's spectacle.

But if you want to see for yourself, be warned: tickets start to sell out quickly once they go on sale the preceding December. See the Tattoo's own website for 2008 booking information.