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VIDEO: Scotland’s most iconic buildings… which is your favourite?

Scotland has a vast array of interesting architecture
Scotland has a vast array of interesting architecture

FROM the Forth Bridge to the Glasgow Tower, Scotland has some incredible architecture.

We’ve put together a video of some of the most well-known structures from all corners of the country.

There’s the Scottish Parliament, the Kelpies and even a building shaped like a pineapple!

Watch the video below and scroll down to read more.

 

Forth Bridge

(Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)
(Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

This cantilever railway bridge spans the Firth of Forth between North and South Queensferry, connecting Edinburgh to Fife.

Construction began in 1882 and the bridge was opened in 1890.

It is now designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

It was once said that painting the structure was a never-ending task but the current coat, finished off in 2011, should last at least another 20 years.

 

McCaig’s Tower

(Ross Crae)
(Ross Crae)

Perched over Oban, McCaig’s Tower was meant to be so much more.

Alas, architect and financer John Stuart McCaig died in 1902 while it was being built and the structure was left an empty shell.

Today it houses a pleasant garden area and offers stunning views over the bay.

 

The Kelpies

(PA Archive)
(PA Archive)

One of Scotland’s most recently built attractions, the two horse heads in Falkirk’s Helix Park are very eye-catching.

They tower over a basin of the Forth and Clyde canal and are a popular spot for family days out.

 

Cineworld, Glasgow

(Barrie Marshall / DC Thomson)
(Barrie Marshall / DC Thomson)

Not many cinemas make it to a list of iconic buildings but this is a record holder.

At 203 feet (62 metres) high, the building is the tallest cinema in the world.

It also has the dubious honour of winning 2000’s Carbuncle of the Year award for being Scotland’s ugliest building…

 

Kelburn Castle

( Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)
( Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

Occupant the Earl of Glasgow invited Brazilian graffiti artists to freshen up the exterior of this Ayrshire castle in 2007.

It was originally meant to be a temporary feature, but was made permanent as it proved popular with visitors to the building and surrounding country park.

 

Riverside Museum

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Glasgow’s new transport museum opened its doors in 2011 and was designed by famed architect Zaha Hadid.

It won the 2013 European Museum of the Year Award.

 

Edinburgh Castle

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You can’t miss one of Scotland’s best-known attractions.

Towering over the capital on the volcanic plug of Castle Rock is the building that has been at the centre of Scottish history for hundreds of years.

 

Glasgow Tower

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The only building in the world that can rotate 360 degrees into the prevailing wind has been plagued by technical problems since opening in 2001.

Being Scotland’s tallest building (the equivalent height of over 30 double decker buses), it’s a great viewpoint.

 

Dunmore Pineapple

Dunmore_pineapple

Perhaps the most bizarre building on this list, the Pineapple is considered to be one of the UK’s best follies.

Built as a birthday present for the Earl of Dunmore’s wife, it now has holiday accommodation and walled gardens for visitors to admire.

 

Eilean Donan Castle

 

(Guillaume Piolle)
(Guillaume Piolle)

Eilean Donan is a mainstay of calendars and visitor books and is the image many think of when imagining a picturesque Scottish castle.

It was restored and reopened in 1932 after over 200 years of lying in ruins.

 

Glasgow University Tower

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The A-listed belltower was built in the late 19th century and can be seen from miles around.

There are over 200 steps to get to the top.

 

National Wallace Monument

(Danny Lawson/PA Wire)
(Danny Lawson/PA Wire)

Completed in 1869, the monument to Sir William Wallace stands on Abbey Craig near Stirling.

There’s a 246 step staircase to the viewing gallery at the top, and many artefacts thought to belong to Wallace are on display.

 

Scottish Parliament

(Kris Miller / DC Thomson)
(Kris Miller / DC Thomson)

Architect Enric Miralles designed the controversial building to make it look as if it was “growing out of the land”.

Construction of the site at Holyrood came to final cost of £414 million, many times higher than initial estimates of between £10 million and £40 million.

 

Scott Monument

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The Victorian Gothic monument in Edinburgh’s Princes Street Gardens is dedicated to author Sir Walter Scott.

It’s 200 feet high and has several viewing platforms.

 

Falkirk Wheel

Aerial view of the Falkirk Wheel

The world’s only rotating boatlift connects the Forth & Clyde and Union canals.

Opened by the Queen in May 2002, it is a truly unique structure.

Which buildings in Scotland catch your eye? Let us know on Twitter, Facebook or email us!


READ MORE

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