Discover Edinburgh - Discover Scotland: Experience the Best of Scotland - page 160

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( 0845 070 6244; www.realmarykingsclose.com ; 2 Warriston's Close, High St; adult/child £12.95/7.45;
10am-9pm Apr-Oct, to 11pm Aug, 10am-5pm Sun-Thu & to 9pm Fri & Sat Nov-Mar) Across from St
Giles is the City Chambers, originally built by John Adam (brother of Robert) between
1753 and 1761 to serve as the Royal Exchange - a covered meeting place for city mer-
chants. However, the merchants preferred their old stamping ground in the street and the
building became the city council offices in 1811.
Part of the Royal Exchange was built over the sealed-off remains of Mary King's Close,
and the lower levels of this medieval Old Town alley have survived almost unchanged in
the foundations of the City Chambers for 250 years. Now open to the public as the Real
Mary King's Close, this spooky, subterranean labyrinth gives a fascinating insight into the
daily life of 16th- and 17th-century Edinburgh. Costumed characters give tours through a
16th-century town house and the plague-stricken home of a 17th-century gravedigger. Ad-
vance booking recommended.

JOHN KNOX HOUSE
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| Historic Building

( www.scottishstorytellingcentre.co.uk ; 43-45 High St; adult/child £4.25/1; 10am-6pm Mon-Sat year-
round, noon-6pm Sun Jul & Aug) The Royal Mile narrows at the foot of High St beside the jut-
ting facade of John Knox House. This is the oldest surviving tenement in Edinburgh, dat-
ing from around 1490. John Knox, an influential church reformer and leader of the Prot-
estant Reformation in Scotland, is thought to have lived here from 1561 to 1572. The
labyrinthine interior has some beautiful painted-timber ceilings and an interesting display
on Knox's life and work.

Scottish Parliament Building
The Scottish Parliament Building Offline map Google map ( 0131-348 5200;
www.scottish.parliament.uk ; admission free; 9am-6.30pm Tue-Thu, 10am-5.30pm Mon & Fri in ses-
sion, 10am-6pm Mon-Fri in recess Apr-Oct, 10am-4pm in recess Nov-Mar; ) , built on the site of a
former brewery close to the Palace of Holyroodhouse, was officially opened by Queen Elizabeth II in October 2005.
The public areas of the building - the Main Hall, where there is an exhibition, shop and cafe; and the public gal-
lery in the Debating Chamber - are open to visitors (tickets are needed for the public gallery - see website for de-
tails). You can also take a free, one-hour guided tour (advance booking recommended) that includes a visit to the
Debating Chamber, a committee room, the Garden Lobby and, when possible, the office of an MSP (Member of the