Scottish fact of the day: Edinburgh’s listed buildings

Published on 16/01/2013 18:00

SCOTLAND’S capital city is rightly proud of its architectural heritage. Its streets, buildings and monuments attract admiration worldwide, and its Old Town and New Town areas are regularly praised by heritage bodies such as UNESCO.

It comes as little surprise then that Edinburgh boasts the highest number of listed buildings in the UK and Ireland.

Listed buildings are protected by law from unauthorised alterations and neglect by their owners.

Listed buildings are divided into three categories: A, B and C. Category A buildings are defined by Historic Scotland as “buildings of national or international importance, either architectural or historic, or fine little-altered examples of some particular period, style or building type.”

Category B buildings are described as “buildings of regional or more than local importance, or major examples of some particular period, style or building type which may have been altered.”. Category C buildings tend to be somewhat less prestigious, but are protected to maintain the architectural unity of a wider area.

Among the city’s most iconic listed buildings are the National Gallery of Scotland, Holyrood Palace and Fettes College, which all belong to the A category.