The current Scottish Parliament (both the physical building and the institution it houses) were established following the results of a referendum in 1997. In the seven years between this referendum and the construction of the actual Parliament Building, “The Stones of Scotland” was built as a way to commemorate this new era of Scottish history.

The story of this monument and the Scottish Parliament Building occurs in increments of two years from 2000, when the first stone of the monument was placed on-site. In 2002, the monument was completed and dedicated in honor of the yet-to-be-finished Scottish Parliament Building. Finally, this building was completed and occupied in 2004, and can be seen from Regent Road Park, where “The Stones of Scotland” sits. 

The actual monument consists of 32 rocks mined from and representing each of the 32 council areas that constitute Scotland. These are placed in a circle around a plaza, at the center of which a tree grows. This plaza also features a plaque with a quote from Scottish poet Hugh MacDiarmid’s aptly titled poem “Scotland,” as well as a sculpture featuring a quote by fellow poet Tessa Ransford. The group of artists and designers who worked on this monument includes Lesley-May Miller, Kenny Munro, Stuart Rogers, and George Wyllie.