Geograph - photograph every grid square

The Quad remained uncompleted for 200 years, gravelled over, and for many years used as a car park NT2573 : Old College Quad, University of Edinburgh..

In 2011, following archaeological investigations, it was finally completed by being paved with Clashach sandstone and laid to lawn much as the original architects intended. Link

Princess Anne was installed here as the new Chancellor of the University of Edinburgh on September 26th 2011. Link

Exterior by Robert Adam (1789) whose cousin William Robertson was principal of the university at the time. Building began in 1789 but was interrupted by the Napoleonic Wars and stopped in 1793. Intermittent building and reshaping thereafter, but Adam's vision was never fully realised, with the dome not finally constructed until 1887 to a design by Rowand Anderson. The gilded figure on top is 'Youth' bearing a torch of learning by John Hutchison. (Details from J. Gifford et al "The Buildings of Scotland: Edinburgh" published by Penguin Books, 2nd ed 1991, ie 'Pevsner'.)