image copyright Rachel Windsor

Built as the Royal Exchange in 1753-61 to a design by John Adam, with later modifications by John Fergus, the City Chambers were an initiative of Provost Drummond, who sought to provide a place for trading for the merchants and tradesmen who gathered outside near to the Mercat Cross to do their business.  The building was largely ignored, and was later used to house the City Chambers.   The building is founded, not on volcanic rock as the majority of buildings here, but on the vaults and walls of a number of the old closes which ran down to the Nor’Loch, most notably Mary King’s Close, which is open to the public.