Old College, University of Edinburgh

Adam, Playfair and the dome

Robert Adam drew the original plan, and the foundation stone was laid on 6 November 1789. Work stalled, and William Henry Playfair, appointed in 1817, reworked the design and completed the building by about 1827. The dome came much later, in 1887, designed by Sir Robert Rowand Anderson, paid for by Robert Cox and crowned by John Hutchison's gilded statue of Youth. The building is Category A listed.

The quad today

The courtyard was redesigned in 2011 by Simpson & Brown and paved in honey-coloured Hazeldean sandstone, chosen to match the original Craigleith stone, around a central lawn. It is used for graduation ceremonies and festival events. The building houses the School of Law, parts of the university's administration and the Talbot Rice Gallery.

Fitting it into a walk

Old College is a working university building rather than a ticketed attraction, so treat it as a place to look up and step into the quad rather than a long visit. The National Museum of Scotland is a couple of minutes away on Chambers Street, and the Three Sisters on the Cowgate and the City Cafe are close by for a drink or a bite.

Highlights

• Designed by Robert Adam (1789) and completed by William Playfair (c.1827)
• 1887 dome topped by a gilded statue of Youth
• Category A listed
• Quad relandscaped in 2011 in Hazeldean sandstone
• Home to the Talbot Rice Gallery

Good to know

• It is a working university building housing the School of Law and administration offices.
• The quad hosts graduation ceremonies and festival events, which can affect access.

Frequently asked questions