Today is St Andrews Day, and what better way to celebrate all that is
Scottish by looking at some of the most beautiful listed buildings in Scotland?
From stately castles to brutalist tower blocks, here is our run down on the
most beautiful listed buildings in Scotland.
1. Italian Chapel, Holm, Orkney Islands
The story of the Italian Chapel’s construction is as famous as the chapel itself. During the Second World War, the then First Sea Officer Winston Churchill decided that Scapa Bay should be fortified for security after the sinking of the British battleship Royal Oak. With a shortage of manpower on the islands, 550 Italian prisoners of war were transported from South Africa to construct the fortifications. During the construction work, a request for a chapel was granted, and two Nissen huts were joined together to serve as a chapel. Among the Italians in Camp 60 was an artist, Domenico Chiocchetti, and he was given the task of transforming the two Nissen huts into a chapel.
The ornate paintings above the alter were inspired by a prayer card that Domenico kept in his possession, and now the stunning and unusual chapel attracts 100,000 visitors every year.
2. Rosslyn Chapel, Midlothian
Rosslyn Chapel is truly one of Scotland’s most remarkable buildings, so remarkable that it featured heavily in Dan Brown’s international best seller The Da Vinci Code ! Founded in 1445 , this 15th century masterpiece still operates as a working chapel, but also hosts an array of activities for children and grown-ups alike.
Extensive conservation work of the chapel’s intricate stonework and stained glass windows have ensured that this medieval marvel will stand the test of time.
3. Kelburn Castle, Ayrshire
Kelburn Castle is a historic building like no other! Originally constructed in the 13th century , it was extensive remodeled in the 16th and 17th centuries, where it obtained its French chateau appearance.
At the turn of the 21st century, it become obvious that the cement facing of the building would need to be replaced, but the owners decided to take a radical approach to conserving the property by inviting four Brazilian graffiti artists to cover the entire property in colourful artwork in 2007. In 2011 the mural was ranked as one of the top ten most influential pieces of graffiti artwork in the world.
4. Cables Wynd House, Edinburgh
Is this a controversial choice? The decision by Historic Environment Scotland to award Cables Wynd House, also known as the “Banana Flats”, a Category A listed status in 2017 after being cited as one of the finest examples of brutalist architecture in Scotland.
Historic Environment Scotland insisted that they were not only interested in “conventionally beautiful buildings”, with Director Barbara Cummins stating “If we only recognise conventionally beautiful buildings we’d be excluding much of Scotland’s rich and proudly diverse heritage.”
5. The Dunmore Pineapple, Airth
This folly is both curious and beautiful. Built in 1761 by the Earl of Dunmore as a summerhouse where he could appreciate the views from his estate, pineapples were among Scotland’s most exotic foods and the house reflects that. This wonderful pineapple-shaped building is open all year round and is surrounded by woodland full of wildlife.
6. Inveraray Castle
Inveraray Castle is the ancestral home of the Duke of Argyll, and has stood on the shores of Loch Fyne since the 1400s, although the stunning castle that we know today began construction in 1746.
As well as a well preserved exterior and gorgeous gardens, the interior of the castle also hosts a plethora of artworks and artefacts. Visit Scotland runs down the full swathe of attractions on offer: "Visitors enter the famous Armoury Hall containing some 1300 pieces including Brown Bess muskets, Lochaber axes and 18th century Scottish broadswords. They can also view preserved swords from the Battle of Culloden. The fine State Dining Room and Tapestry Drawing Room contain magnificent French tapestries which were woven especially for the Castle, fabulous examples of Scottish, English and French furniture and countless other precious artworks. The castle’s priceless collection of china, silver and family heirlooms spans generations which are illustrated by the fascinating genealogical display in the Clan Room."
7. Abbotsford House, Galashiels
The former home of Sir Walter Scott , Abbotsford House is one of the most iconic buildings in Scotland built in the 19th century Baronial style. The house has now been visited by millions of people.
Abbostford House is located on the River Tweed, a landscape that inspired the poetry and prose of Sir Walter Scott. Contrary to the typical practice at the time, Sir Walter Scott designed the house himself and enveloped in the Romanticism style which he helped create and popularise.
8. McManus Galleries, Dundee
The McManus Galleries not only houses priceless artefacts from around the world; the building itself is something of a work of art. Built in the Gothic Revival style, the concept for the building was originally constructed as a memorial to Prince Albert and was designed by the architect George Gilbert Scott.
After extensive refurbishment in 2008 and 2009, the galleries reopened in 2010 and houses eight galleries, containing diverse works from local artists right up to Dante Gabriel Rossetti's famous Pre-Raphaelite work 'Dante's Dream on the Day of the Death of Beatrice’.
9. Templeton on the Green, Glasgow
Templeton on the Green, formerly known as Templeton Carpet Factory, is one of Glasgow’s famous follies. Built as a carpet factory in 1892 , the building was based on the Doge’s Palace in Venice and is built in the Venetian Gothic style: highly unusual for a carpet factory built in the East End of Glasgow!
It is said that the reason for factory owner James Templeton opting for such an ostentatious factory design was that he had had numerous design proposals rejected by the Glasgow Corporation. He therefore hired famous architect William Leiper to design a building so grand that it could not possibly be rejected!
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