A Gothic Pilgrimage: Tracing the footsteps of Del Toro's Frankenstein

Guillermo del Toro, the master of cinematic beauty and dark fairy tales, returns with his long-awaited vision of Frankenstein, now streaming on Netflix (7th Nov). In true Del Toro fashion, this isn’t just another bland retelling of Mary Shelley’s classic novel, it’s a breathtaking reimagining that explores the humanity, tragedy, and tenderness buried within the monster’s myth. The film’s visual storytelling is nothing short of mesmerising, with gothic grandeur and painterly cinematography that transforms every frame into a work of art.

Adding to its haunting atmosphere, several of the films pivotal street scenes were filmed in the Scottish capitol of Edinburgh, an inspired choice that brings the story’s 19th-century world to life with cobbled alleys, brooding stone architecture, and the city’s naturally moody skies. The Scottish capital’s timeless beauty perfectly mirrors Del Toro’s vision: a place where history, horror, and heartbreak intertwine.

This adaptation delivers more than just another monster movie, it’s a soulful, visually stunning meditation on creation and isolation, told by one of cinema’s greatest visual storytellers.

So join me on my own expedition as I explore the historic and gothic nature of Edinburgh and visit the filming locations from the new film that made the backdrops even more atmospheric.

Makars Court & Lady Stairs Close

Tucked away beside the Writers’ Museum in Edinburgh’s Old Town, Makars’ Court is a quiet, cobbled square dedicated to Scotland’s rich literary heritage. Named for the Scots word 'makar', meaning poet or storyteller, the courtyard features stone slabs engraved with quotes from authors who shaped Scotland’s cultural voice, from the legendary Robert Burns to Muriel Spark. It’s a place where history and creativity meet, celebrating centuries of Scottish writing against the backdrop of the city’s medieval heart.

While small and rarely glanced upon by visitors rushing up the Royal Mile, Makars’ Court holds a powerful atmosphere. Its historic tenements, narrow wynds, and worn stones feel suspended in time, making it the perfect cinematic canvas for period storytelling.

For the movie, the production team transformed Makars’ Court into a chilling scene featuring a public gallows setup. The square’s authentic and carefully preserved architecture and intimate scale allowed the crew to recreate the tense atmosphere of 19th-century justice without relying heavily on CGI or studio backdrops.

Although the hanging sequence was carefully choreographed and filmed with sensitivity and safety, the location’s brooding energy amplified the emotional weight of the moment. As extras in period dress filled the courtyard and lantern light flickered off the stone facades, Makars’ Court briefly felt transported back in time. The result is a hauntingly immersive scene that shows just how deeply Edinburgh’s real history and textures enhance the film’s powerful storytelling.

St Giles Cathedral & Royal Mile

Dominating Edinburgh’s iconic Royal Mile, with its striking crown steeple and centuries-old stonework, St. Giles’ Cathedral stands as one of Scotland’s most significant historical and religious landmarks. Founded in the 12th century and central to the Scottish Reformation, St. Giles’ has witnessed royal ceremonies, political upheaval, and the daily life of Edinburgh unfold around its doors for nearly 900 years.

Inside, its vaulted ceilings, stained-glass windows, and ornate Thistle Chapel speak to a long legacy of Scottish craftsmanship and devotion. Outside, the cathedral has always been a gathering place; once surrounded by markets, merchants, and lively street life. For centuries, this bustling stretch of the Royal Mile was where townsfolk traded goods, shared gossip, and crossed paths against the backdrop of the city’s spiritual centre.

For filming, the cathedral’s façade served as a powerful gothic backdrop for a brief but evocative marketplace scene. The production team revived the historic bustle of the Royal Mile, dressing the space with wooden stalls, period props, and local extras costumed as Victorian townsfolk.

With St. Giles’ towering above, the scene blends everyday life with gothic atmosphere, a reminder that in this world, the ordinary and the supernatural coexist just as they did in Shelley’s original story. The flicker of lanterns, the rustle of market cloth, and the shadow of the cathedral cast a haunting tone without overshadowing the human moments unfolding on screen. Though short, the sequence captures a timeless feeling: a city alive with tradition, faith, commerce, and whispered secrets, with St. Giles' watching over it all, just as it has for centuries.

Bakehouse Close & Cannongate

Edinburgh’s Old Town is a labyrinth of stories, and only a few corners capture its historic soul quite like Bakehouse Close and Cannongate. Located just off the Royal Mile, Bakehouse Close is one of the city’s best-preserved medieval lanes, known for its narrow stone passageway, vaulted arch, and atmospheric 16th-century buildings. Once home to tradesmen and craftsmen, the close earned its name from the bakehouses that operated there centuries ago, filling the air with the smell of fresh bread long before tourists ever set foot on its cobbles.

A short stroll away, The Cannongate marks the lower stretch of the Royal Mile, historically a separate burgh that served as the royal route to Holyrood Palace. With its ancient kirk, grand townhouses, and worn stone facades, Cannongate still carries the weight of Scotland’s royal and working-class past side by side. Time seems to linger here, between towering tenements and tucked-away courtyards where footsteps echo and shadows stretch across centuries.

In this new Netflix film, these locations offered more than just scenery—they provided a sense of lived-in authenticity that no studio set could replicate. Production transformed Bakehouse Close and parts of Cannongate into a haunting 19th-century streetscape, complete with flickering lamplight, period meat market stalls, and extras in Victorian dress moving through the shadows.

Bakehouse Close’s narrow stone alleyways, already steeped in atmosphere, became the perfect backdrop for the garish yet everyday scenes, adding claustrophobic depth and texture to moments of suspense and mystery. Meanwhile, Cannongate’s wide historic stretch offered sweeping exterior shots that grounded the story in a world both gothic and real.

These locations, which are familiar to fans of historical dramas (Outlander), took on an entirely new life under Del Toro’s vision. With Edinburgh’s ancient stones as silent witnesses, Frankenstein gains a tangible sense of era and emotion, blurring the line between fiction and history in one of the city’s most cinematic corners.

The Signet Library

Tucked away just off the Royal Mile beside St. Giles’ Cathedral, the Signet Library is one of Edinburgh’s most extravagant and elegant hidden treasures. Built in the early 19th century, this neoclassical masterpiece has long been associated with the Society of Writers to His Majesty’s Signet (an ancient legal society whose members once held the authority to oversee Scotland’s official documents).

Inside, the library is a stunning celebration of Georgian grandeur. Tall Corinthian columns, sweeping galleries, ornate plasterwork, and endless rows of books create an atmosphere that feels both scholarly and regal. Its Upper Library, in particular, is often described as one of the finest classical interiors in the city—an opulent, light-filled space that transports visitors straight into the world of Enlightenment-era Edinburgh.

For Frankenstein, the Signet Library provided the perfect setting for lavish ballroom scenes. With its symmetrical architecture, glittering chandeliers, and aristocratic atmosphere, the library was effortlessly used as a backdrop for a grand 19th-century social space. Extras in rich period costumes swept across polished floors while candlelight reflected off gilded details, creating a visual feast steeped in gothic elegance.

Del Toro’s team leaned into the building’s timeless beauty rather than disguising it, allowing the Signet Library’s real character to shine through and heighten the film’s sense of romance, tragedy, and old-world sophistication.

While parts are still a working legal library, the Signet Library is open to the public in several ways, making it easy to experience its grandeur firsthand:

• Visit the Colonnades – The library’s Lower Library is home to The Colonnades, an elegant café known for its excellent afternoon tea (booking recommended).

• Attend special events – The library occasionally hosts tours, exhibitions, and public events (especially during the Edinburgh Festival).

Guillermo Del Toro’s Frankenstein breathes a well needed new life into one of literature’s most enduring stories, blending emotional depth with breathtaking gothic beauty. Seeing this reimagining unfold across the ancient streets and iconic landmarks of Edinburgh adds a whole new dimension to the film, one where history, atmosphere, and storytelling collide. From the haunting closes of the Old Town to the grandeur of the Signet Library, the city becomes a character in its own right: timeless, mysterious, and deeply cinematic.

Exploring these filming locations in person gave me a deeper connection to the film’s world. Wandering through Makars’ Court at nighttime, walking along Cannongate and Bakehouse Close, and stepping inside the majestic hall of the Signet Library felt like slipping between the pages of Shelley’s novel and the frames of Del Toro’s masterpiece. Edinburgh’s ability to transport you, whether through centuries of history, architecture, or just through pure atmosphere, is truly unmatched.

If you’re inspired to follow in Frankenstein’s footsteps, visiting these sites is incredibly easy. Take a stroll down the Royal Mile, book afternoon tea at the Signet Library, or wander through Edinburgh’s atmospheric closes and courtyards. Whether you’re a film lover, a gothic literature fan, or a traveler seeking a city steeped in magic and melancholy, Edinburgh offers a journey you won’t soon forget.

And who knows, as you explore its shadowy lanes and grand halls, you might just feel the same spark that inspired Del Toro’s vision. After all, in Edinburgh, the line between past and present, myth and reality, is always wonderfully blurred.