Although Glasgow and the west of Scotland was full of them, red sandstone architecture was quite rare in the Capital, as the nearest quarries were located over a hundred kilometres away in the south of Scotland.
That all changed with the expansion of the country’s railway network in the 1890s, which allowed for the transportation of huge quantities of quarried stone from sites in Dumfries and Annan at an affordable cost.
As a result, by the end of the century, Edinburgh would have plenty of red sandstone buildings – among them the Caledonian Hotel, the King’s Theatre, the Scottish National Portrait Gallery, and Lauriston fire station.
Take a look through our photo gallery to see 11 stunning red sandstone buildings in Edinburgh.
5. Dewar Place Electricity Station (1894-98)
Another Robert Morham creation, this building on Dewar Place, formerly the Electric Lighting Central Generating Station, has been stripped down to its shell and awaiting a hotel development. Photo: TSPL
6. Dean Village (1800s)
Dean Village on the banks of the Water of Leith boasts a number of buildings dressed in red sandstone, including Well Court and the Hawthorn Buildings. Photo: TSPL
7. Scottish National Portrait Gallery (1885-1890)
It is fitting that a building that has housed countless examples of fine art over the past century should be a work of art itself. Photo: TSPL
8. King's Theatre (1904)
This red sandstone beauty, similar in design and hue to the King's Theatre in Glasgow, took centre stage in Tollcross when it was built in the early 1900s. Photo: TSPL