A Parliamentary Tour of Edinburgh
Scotland has had a parliamentary form of rule since medieval times. Originally, the parliament(s) of Scotland met wherever the king at the time decided to hold them. They functioned quite different then to what we are used to today, though the Scottish parliament has always been a single chamber of members, unlike England and other parliaments in the world.
In 1632, Charles I declared that all future parliaments in Scotland would be held in a fixed chamber in Edinburgh and ordered the building of a suitable building. The parliament of Scotland has had a long and wearied journey from that date – let’s explore the parliament as it relates to Edinburgh.
1639: Parliament House
After the king’s degree that a new Edinburgh-based parliament building be built, construction began on the Parliament House found behind St Giles Cathedral on the Royal Mile. The parliament room here is simply exquisite and a shame that so many tourists miss it, given it is ‘hidden’ behind the church. It has one of the city’s best stained glass windows – actually a misnomer, because when you see it you’ll realise it’s actually a stained glass wall – very impressive. There’s also a very nice wooden ceiling, pictured above, that is well preserved.
Parliamentary sessions were held here until 1707, when the Treaty of Union unified the government bodies of England and Scotland into a single parliament. This meant that parliamentary decisions related to Scotland were made from Westminster in London.
Note: This is a functioning court so access is somewhat restricted.
1999: Assembly Room at the Church of Scotland
After many years of Westminster-based rule, a referendum in Scotland was passed and eventually Scotland was given partial devolution. This means that Scotland took back control of many portions of the government, such as health care, while it still remains part of the United Kingdom and Westminster keeps control of other aspects, such as defence policy. As a result of this decision, Scotland held its first parliament since 1707 in the Assembly Room of the Church of Scotland in 1999.
Many people say the parliament should have just stayed here in this majestic building, but plans were already underfoot for a new parliament building on the Royal Mile. Today, the church owns this building and it is often used for events (it is a particularly busy venue during the Edinburgh Festival).
2004: New Parliament Building
Scotland’s new parliament building at the foot of the Royal Mile opened in October 2004 to great fanfare. The building generated an enormous amount of buzz, both good and bad – it went well beyond its construction budget, and without a doubt it is a building you’ll either love or hate. But it certainly set the stage for a new path for the future of Scotland and its parliamentary control. This is a must-see on any tourist visit, to gawk at the unusual perspective exterior and explore the very unique interior.
(Tip: If you really hate it, climb up Salisbury Crags in neighbouring Holyrood Park. Some say the building is best viewed at a distance so you can really absorb the overall image.)
For more information about visiting the new parliament building, visit their official tourism website.
Photos by theedinburghblog, pamelaadam, beltzner
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