Lothian Chambers

Venue details
Edinburgh Area
Telephone (info)
0131 529 2613
About the venue

City owned building that was once the Midlothian County Buildings, now used for City of Edinburgh Council corporate services and functions such as corporate gatherings and weddings. There are three main suites: the City of Edinburgh Chamber Suite which was the original council chamber; the smaller Melbourne Suite which consists of two adjoining rooms, and the smallest McIntyre suite (named after the architect who redesigned the building). 

The original County Hall was built between 1816 and 1818 with the design based on the Acropolis at Athens, but in 1892 plans were made for the the extension and internal rearrangement of the building which is what remains today.

Although only placed fourth in a competition to design the new building, architect James McIntyre Henry was chosen to carry out the project and the reconstructed building was finally opened in 1904. The majority of the detailing, for example in the wood panelling and the lighting, dates from this time.