St Andrew’s House

St Andrew's House, seat of the Scottish Government

The Edinburgh audio-guided tour stops you before St Andrew's House, one of the most imposing buildings in the city and the seat of the Scottish Government. It stands on the southern flank of Calton Hill, overlooking the district.

An Art Deco building on a site laden with memory

The building, where Art Deco is very present, was constructed in the twentieth century on the site of a former prison. The site keeps the memory of that carceral past: according to tradition, burials of the condemned are said to remain there, away from view. Completed in 1939, just after the declaration of the Second World War, the building could not be fully occupied until some time later.

What there is to see

St Andrew's House impresses with its monumental façade and its Art Deco lines, typical of the official architecture of the interwar years. Its position on Calton Hill, near Regent Road, makes it a landmark in the urban landscape and offers fine views. It is a witness to the administrative and political history of Scotland in the twentieth century.

Practical information

St Andrew's House is on the southern flank of Calton Hill, along Regent Road, east of Princes Street, in Edinburgh. The seat of government, its interior access is restricted; the façade and surroundings can be contemplated freely from the street.

What was there before St Andrew's House?

The building was constructed on the site of a former prison, whose memory the site keeps. It was completed in 1939 and houses the seat of the Scottish Government.

What is the style of the building?

St Andrew's House has an Art Deco architecture, typical of the great official buildings of the twentieth century, on the flank of Calton Hill.