Edinburgh - Holyrood House

Delighted with the location, Scotland's monarchs decided to build a house for guests at a spot to the west of the abbey. This eventually became a royal residence and James IV and his son James V extended the building into a palace at the beginning of the 16th century. In 1544 the greater part of the palace was burnt down and Cromwell's troops further devastated the rebuilt structure with another fire in 1650. Following the death of Elizabeth I, Mary Stuart's son James IV became James I of England and he moved his court to London. Holyrood lost its importance and only rarely hosted royal guests. On the occasion of Charles I's coronation, castle and abbey were renovated. Work on the present building took place between 1671 and 1679 following the Classical style of the Renaissance and according to plans by Sir William Bruce of Kinless. The royal master builder Robert Mylne was responsible for its completion. A low central section with a charming facade was interposed between the old northwest and new southwest tower, and Doric columns and the coat of arms of the Scottish royal king were added to the main portal. The painter Jakob de Witt was commissioned to carry out the interior decorations, with Jan van Santvoort responsible for the woodcarving and John Hulbert, George Dunsterfield and Thomas Alborn the stucco plastering. Expensive tapestries were ordered from Flanders and Paris.