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Tynecastle Park
(Heart of Midlothian)
Address: McLeod Street,
Gorgie,
Edinburgh,
Scotland,
EH11 2NL
Capacity: 20,099 (All-Seater)
A major reconstruction of its century-old Main Stand has created a stadium where all four sides look and feel very similar. Whether behind the goal or along the length of the pitch, you can be treated to a very good matchday experience.
First opened in 1886, it has been the home of Heart of Midlothian Football Club ever since.
Hearts formed in 1874, playing on several sites in Edinburgh before moving to the Gorgie area in 1881. The pitch at the time was known as ‘Old Tynecastle’ and stood on what nowadays is Wardlaw Street and Wardlaw Terrace.
With Scotland’s capital continuing to expand, the old ground was replaced by housing and Hearts moved a short distance north to the present site, ‘New Tynecastle’. The new home was inaugurated on 10th April 1996 with a friendly between Heart of Midlothian and Bolton Wanderers. Its first Scottish Football League game came four years later, when Hearts were beaten 5-0 by Celtic.
A Scottish Cup win in 1891 provided the finances for a new clubhouse and Tynecastle Park hosted its first International fixture the following year, a 6-1 win for Scotland over Wales.
Capacity was significantly increased when a small stand and pavilion were built in 1903, and the banks of terracing were increased in 1906. The once-present Main Stand was constructed by famous Scottish architect Archibald Leitch and opened in 1914. Funding was partly provided by Percy Dawson being sold to Blackburn Rovers for £2,500, a British record transfer at the time.
The Second World War brought to an end Hearts considering moves to either the nearby Murrayfield Stadium or to a new ground in Sighthill. Tynecastle at the time was tightly squeezed by narrow streets on three sides and a local high school. The moves never came to be however, and Tynecastle Park became Scotland’s first all-concrete stadium in 1954. Floodlights were installed in 1957, and the £32,000 sale of Dave Mackay to Tottenham Hotspur paid for the construction of a roof along part of the stadium.
The publishing of the Taylor Report in the 1990s required all major grounds in Scotland to become all-seater by August 1994. Tynecastle Park at the time would require significant work in order to become this, and Hearts considered moves to other sites elsewhere in Edinburgh where a brand new stadium could be built instead.
The collapse of potential moves forced the club to redevelop Tynecastle instead, and by 1994 they had two brand new stands in place and one with temporary bucket seating in place. That temporary bucket seating was replaced by a brand new stand in 1997.
Work in the years since have formed the Tynecastle Park that is in place today, though during that time there were other plans for Hearts to sell their long-term home and move elsewhere. None of these came to be, however.
Location and Getting There
Tynecastle Park is located in the Gorgie area, around 2.5 miles southwest of Edinburgh City Centre. The east and west parts of Craiglockhart Hill are around 1.2 miles away to the south, and Corstorphine Hill is around 1.4 miles away to the northwest.
Murrayfield Stadium, the largest stadium in Scotland and the home to Scottish Rugby Union, is less than 0.4 miles away to the northwest of Tynecastle Park.
Since Tynecastle Park is located in a well built-up area, there are no parking spaces around its vicinity for supporters, and you will instead need to look for street parking.
That should be possible to find, though you might find yourself having to park a fair distance away from the stadium depending on how early you get there. Ensure that you are legally allowed to park where you find though and do not block the drives of any residents.
The nearest railway station to Tynecastle Park is Edinburgh Haymarket, served by ScotRail, LNER, CrossCountry, Avanti West Coast and Transpennine Express. It is within a mile to the northeast of the stadium and walking from here takes around 15-20 minutes.
The route sees you briefly ahead along Haymarket Terrace before sharply turning right onto Dalry Road (A70), continuing all the way along here until it becomes Gorgie Road (A71), and then heading along here to Tynecastle Park.
You can reduce the journey time if you wish by taking the Number 25 bus service from outside Haymarket Station and getting off at the Gorgie City Farm stop that is a short walk east of the stadium. You can make the journey time under 10 minutes by doing this.
Outside the Stadium
Fans heading to Tynecastle Park from Edinburgh Haymarket can head to the stadium via McLeod Street from off Gorgie Road (A71). Doing so will leave you with Tynecastle High School on your right, and Tynecastle Park’s Main Stand on your left.
Rebuilt in 2017 to replace an older facility that was originally designed by Archibald Leitch, it has a very modern-looking façade that consists of a largely brickwork base, with rows of grey panels and glass windows higher up. The corners at either end of the exterior do not protrude out as far, and use an exterior design that contains glass windows, silver panels, red panels and maroon panels. A large section of maroon and grey corrugated iron is based behind it and holds the Main Stand seating area inside.
The very centre of the façade’s base houses the Main Reception and Hospitality Entrance. The end by the stadium’s southeast corner meanwhile houses the Heart of Midlothian Clubstore, Main Ticket Office, and an entrance to the Fans Bar and Café.
Turnstiles for the Main Stand itself are divided into two sets and based either side of the Main Reception Entrance. The ‘South Main’ turnstiles are to the left, and the ‘North Main’ turnstiles are to the right.
The space immediately outside the Main Stand used to hold an angled Club Office building but is now open space known as the Foundation Plaza. A nursery school is fenced off and located next to this Foundation Plaza.
In a clockwise direction from the Main Stand is the South Stand, better known as the Gorgie Stand after the road out beyond it.
It can best be reached from the Main Stand by heading back along McLeod Street, turning right onto Gorgie Road (A71), and heading along past the tall buildings until an opening appears on your right. The opening leads onto Tynecastle Terrace, and through the gates at the end is the exterior of the Gorgie Stand.
That exterior comprises mostly of a brickwork base with corrugated iron and maroon trim higher up. The stand’s roof is also noticeably curved in shape at the top. Immediately in front of the gates at the end of Tynecastle Terrace is the Heart of Midlothian Museum, which can be reached via a downward staircase.
Turnstiles for the Gorgie Stand meanwhile are split into two sets and based either side of the Museum.
The West Stand at Tynecastle Park is known as the Wheatfield Stand after the roads out beyond it.
It can best be reached from the Gorgie Stand by heading back along Tynecastle Terrace and heading west along Gorgie Road (A71). Pass the Church on your right and take the first right onto Wheatfield Road. The Wheatfield Stand will come into view on your right.
Its exterior has a mostly grey corrugated iron design with a strip of maroon corrugated iron part-way up, maroon trim towards the top and a curved roof.
The turnstiles for this side of the stadium are based in a brick building on the corner between Wheatfield Road and Wheatfield Place. Fans enter through here and then make use of the staircase which leads up to the Wheatfield Stand concourse inside.
You can find a large training pitch in place right alongside Wheatfield Place and right in front of the Wheatfield Stand’s exterior.
Tynecastle Park’s North Stand is known as the Roseburn Stand after the area of Edinburgh out beyond it. With industrial and school buildings based in front it, accessibility to the stand is limited to just one side.
Its exterior is similar to other parts of the stadium, using a brickwork base with maroon and grey corrugated iron higher up, maroon trim towards the top and a curved roof.
You are unable to walk right along its exterior however, and turnstiles into this side of the stadium come from off McLeod Street, a little away from the ground’s northeast corner. Fans enter through this turnstile block and then continue up the path and staircase that leads to the Roseburn Stand concourse inside.
Essentially, Tynecastle Park is only accessible on its eastern, southern and western side. Gorgie Road (A71) to the south is a road you should always look to use if you need to get from the Wheatfield Stand to the Roseburn Stand and vice versa.
Inside the Stadium
The Main Stand is divided into two tiers that you can freely get between, with the upper tier much larger than the one below.
Most of the seats inside this stand are maroon in colour, though you can find two hearts, much like the ones which feature on the Heart of Midlothian Club Crest, made from grey, blue, white and yellow seating in two of the upper tier blocks. Maroon seats at the front of the central block are for executive use, with a white press area in front of this and further executive seating in front of that. Tynecastle Park’s dugouts and tunnel are housed down at the front of the lower tier, with the changing rooms based inside. The walkway between each tier additionally houses disabled viewing platforms.
Your view from anywhere inside the Main Stand is perfectly clear because of the cantilever roof, and large windshields at either end provide excellent protection to for those sat inside.
Tynecastle Park’s southeast corner has a lighting rig in place that is connected to the cantilever frame which runs around the stadium’s roof. You can also find the Stadium Control Box down towards the ground. This Control Box can aid in providing protection to those sat in the Main Stand and the adjacent Gorgie Stand.
The Gorgie Stand is similar in design to the adjacent Main Stand, albeit it is shorter as it runs along the width of the pitch rather than its length.
The stand consists of two tiers which you can freely get between, with the upper tier much larger than the one below. What’s also noticeable is that a section of the upper tier’s back row, next to the stadium’s southeast corner, is not as tall because the roof drops down slightly lower than the rest.
Most of the seats inside this stand are maroon in colour, though you can find two hearts, much like the ones which feature on the Heart of Midlothian Club Crest, made from grey, blue, white and yellow seating in two of the upper tier blocks. The walkway between each tier additionally houses disabled viewing platforms.
Your view from anywhere inside the Gorgie Stand is perfectly clear because of the cantilever roof, and large windshields at either end provide excellent protection to for those sat inside.
Tynecastle Park’s southwest corner has a lighting rig in place that is connected to the cantilever frame which runs around the stadium’s roof.
The Wheatfield Stand looks similar in design to both the Main Stand and the Gorgie Stand. It consists of two tiers which you can freely get between, with the upper tier much larger than the one below.
Most of the seats inside this stand are maroon in colour, though you can find two hearts, much like the ones which feature on the Heart of Midlothian Club Crest, made from grey, blue, white and yellow seating in two of the upper tier blocks. The walkway between each tier additionally houses disabled viewing platforms, and you can find the gantry holding the matchday camera hanging down from the roof.
Your view from anywhere inside the Wheatfield Stand is perfectly clear because of the cantilever roof, and large windshields at either end provide excellent protection to for those sat inside.
Tynecastle Park’s northwest corner has a lighting rig in place that is connected to the cantilever frame which runs around the stadium’s roof.
The Roseburn Stand is almost a carbon copy of the Gorgie Stand opposite but doesn’t have a section of its back row which is lower down than the rest. The stand consists of two tiers which you can freely get between, with the upper tier much larger than the one below.
Most of the seats inside this stand are maroon in colour, though you can find two hearts, much like the ones which feature on the Heart of Midlothian Club Crest, made from grey, blue, white and yellow seating in two of the upper tier blocks. Seats in this side of the stadium are notably more worn in colour however than elsewhere in Tynecastle Park. The walkway between each tier additionally houses disabled viewing platforms.
Your view from anywhere inside the Roseburn Stand is perfectly clear because of the cantilever roof, and large windshields at either end provide excellent protection to for those sat inside.
Tynecastle Park’s northeast corner has a lighting rig in place that is connected to the cantilever frame which runs around the stadium’s roof.
Away Fans
Away fans are housed behind the goal in the Roseburn Stand to the north.
Depending on the allocation, a few blocks in both tiers can be made available, with large sheets used to segregate this section from the rest of the stand’s seating area. The largest of crowds will take up the whole Roseburn Stand, where nearly 3,400 people can be housed.
Fans are treated to an excellent, clear view of the pitch in front with large windshields at either end providing very good protection for those sat inside.
The Roseburn Stand is the least accessible of the four stands at Tynecastle Park as there are industrial and school buildings out in front of it.
The turnstiles leading up to it can be found off McLeod Street on the western side of the stadium. You will need to walk past the whole of the Main Stand to reach them.
Matchday Pubs
Pubs available to supporters on a matchday include:
-The Athletic Arms (1-3 Angle Park Terrace, EH11 2JX) (Away Supporters Welcome) (Located east of Tynecastle Park)
-The Grays Mill (101-105 Slateford Road, EH11 1QY) (Typically Home and Away Supporters) (Located south of Tynecastle Park)
-Jessie Mays Bar and Kitchen (316 Gorgie Road, EH11 2QZ) (Away Supporters Welcome) (Located west of Tynecastle Park)
-Murrayfield Sports Bar (22 Westfield Road, EH11 2QR) (Typically Home and Away Supporters) (Located west of Tynecastle Park and south of Murrayfield Stadium)
-The Polwarth Tavern (35 Polwarth Crescent, EH11 1HR) (Typically Home and Away Supporters) (Located east of Tynecastle Park)
-Ryrie's Bar (1 Haymarket Terrace, EH12 5EY) (Typically Home and Away Supporters) (Located very close to Edinburgh Haymarket Station)
-The Sportsters Bar (1A Market Street, EH1 1DE) (Typically Home and Away Supporters) (Located very close to Edinburgh Waverley Station)
-The Tynecastle Arms (92-94 Gorgie Road, EH11 2NP) (Home Supporters Only) (Located very close to Tynecastle Park)
Overview
Tynecastle Park is a truly historic Scottish football stadium, and a newly built Main Stand to the east has created a ground that feels very balanced across all four sides.
Views from any stand are perfectly clear and well protected by windshields, although it is certainly easier to reach the turnstiles for some stands over others.
There have been several times during its history where Heart of Midlothian have considered leaving their home of more than 130 years, but no such move has yet happened.
This remains one of Scotland’s largest and leading football grounds, and I certainly hope that it will continue to be for many years to come.
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