Booking with us
Secure and instant online booking
Compare prices and choose from over 270 properties
Impartial reviews from real guests
Price match promise
No booking or credit card fees
Can we help? Ring us on 0845 833 6028 or drop us an email
Helen Fowler
Say hello to our resident Edinburgh expert! Helen is here to keep you posted on the latest goings on in Edinburgh. This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it to talk about the blog.
| On what it means to be Scottish |
|
The cost of the building remains more controversial than any legislation passed within its walls. But, despite its set-backs, the Scottish Parliament has changed our sense of what it means to be Scottish. Even if that change if based more on the idea of parliament than its actual legislative powers. In a 1997 referendum the people of Scotland voted by almost three to one for the creation of the first Scottish parliament. Catalan architect Enric Miralles was duly commissioned to design the building.
Miralles produced a 'tour de force', albeit one that overran its budget so much a parliamentary inquiry was set up to look into the reasons why. The parliament is an astonishment, especially to anyone old enough to remember the dark parkland on the site previously.
It features leaf-shaped buildings, grass roofing, gabian walls formed from the stone of previous buildings and shapes based on Raeburn's painting of a skating minister. But perhaps my favourite view of the building is from the sky, where you can see the roofs merge into one another like petalled turbines. It is the first Scottish parliament in almost 300 years. Since its creation, I cannot help but notice a new confidence in Scotland and a growing pride in the country.
Completed in 2004, a mere three years late, the parliament has the power to pass laws affecting Scotland on 'devolved' matters. These include areas such as education, health, agriculture and justice. Other 'reserved' matters are dealt with by Westminster. It has the power to vary income tax in Scotland by three pence in the pound. The parliament runs free one-hour walking tours of the building. It's advisable to book ahead, as the tours get popular.
|