plaque · Edinburgh
Scottish Parliament
This memorial commemorates a significant period in modern Scottish governance, marking the initial location of the Scottish Parliament. From 1999 to 2004, this site served as the meeting place for the newly re-established Parliament, a pivotal institution responsible for devolved legislative matters concerning Scotland. The plaque acknowledges the building's role as the crucible for the early years of the modern Scottish Parliament, a time when foundational decisions and policies for the nation were debated and enacted, setting the stage for its subsequent development and impact. It stands as a modest but important historical marker.
The memorial is situated in Edinburgh, a city deeply intertwined with Scotland's political history. The period from 1999 to 2004 was one of renewed self-governance for Scotland, following a referendum on devolution. This era saw the establishment of the Scottish Parliament, an institution empowered to legislate on a range of domestic issues, marking a significant constitutional shift within the United Kingdom. While the Parliament later moved to a purpose-built facility, its formative years at this initial location laid the groundwork for its role in shaping contemporary Scottish society and policy.
The plaque is located at the Church of Scotland General Assembly Hall on Castle Hill in Edinburgh. Visitors to this historic part of the city can find the memorial at this address. The setting offers an opportunity to reflect on the building's historical role as the temporary home of the Scottish Parliament, within the broader context of Edinburgh's rich architectural and political landscape. As it is positioned on the exterior of a working institution, respectful observation is encouraged.
Inscription
“The Scottish Parliament met here 1999 - 2004”
Background
Edinburgh Central (Gaelic: Dùn Èideann Meadhain) is a burgh constituency of the Scottish Parliament covering part of the council area of Edinburgh. It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) by the plurality (first past the post) method of election. Under the additional-member electoral system used for elections to the Scottish Parliament, it is also one of nine constituencies in the Edinburgh and Lothians East electoral region, which elects seven additional members, in addition to the nine constituency MSPs, to produce a form of proportional representation for the region as a whole. The constituency was created with the name and boundaries of the Edinburgh Central UK Parliament constituency. Since 1999, the constituency MSP has been an ex officio member of the board of trustees of the National Library of Scotland. From 1925 until 1999, that role had been taken by the Member of Parliament (MP) for the Westminster constituency. It was one of the few areas to vote "Yes" in the 2011 UK Alternative Vote referendum held on the same day as the 2011 Scottish Parliament election. The seat has been held by Lorna Slater of the Scottish Greens since the 2026 Scottish Parliament election.
Source: Open Plaques. Geographic data via OpenStreetMap.