Scottish Parliament Building

City of Edinburgh, United Kingdom

Open to visitors

The interior is normally open, possibly ticketed.

Strollie cannot guarantee access — always check before you travel.

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Located at Holyrood in central Edinburgh, the Scottish Parliament Building serves as the home of the Scottish Parliament and houses 129 MSPs alongside more than 1,000 staff and civil servants. Designed by Spanish architect Enric Miralles in collaboration with RMJM and Benedetta Tagliabue, the postmodern structure was constructed between June 1999 and its opening in October 2004, tragically after Miralles's death. The building's completion, initially scheduled for 2001, was delayed over three years and faced controversy over its final cost of £414 million—far exceeding initial estimates of £10–40 million. Despite public criticism and a major inquiry into the project's management, architectural academics praised the design for its poetic integration of Scottish landscape, culture, and the city itself. The original lintel from Parliament House, which housed Scotland's Parliament until 1707, was installed above the new building's debating chamber.