The 14 buildings in Scotland you must see before you die

AT ALMOST every turn these days we're reminded that there are certain things that we absolutely must do "before we die". From films we must see to books we must read and places we must visit - and the exhaustive list is about to get longer, with the publication on Monday of a new book, 1001 Buildings You Must See Before You Die, edited by Mark Irving.

This chunky tome incorporates the requisite number of structures from all over the globe, spanning thousands of years and tens of thousands of miles. Taking them all in before you shuffle off this mortal coil is a daunting, if not impossible, task, so a slightly more realistic way to approach the list might be to visit the 14 Scottish architectural gems featured in the book, spanning almost as many architectural styles and nearly 1,000 years.

"There is a significant number of very important buildings in Scotland, and with the Scottish buildings in this book I wanted to make sure that there was a real spread of styles, that we didn't just focus on grand castles," says Irving.

"I also wanted to make sure that some of the incredible locations in Scotland were represented, from the shore of Tiree to the centre of Edinburgh."

Irving found it difficult to edit down Scotland's rich pickings to just 14, and there are certainly a few rather glaring omissions from the list.

Neil Verow, the deputy head of architecture at Dundee University, says: "The choices are intriguing. It chooses three castles, but all arguably romantic caricatures of the real thing. Is there no place for the beautifully located ancient defensive towers that inspired them? Where are Dunottar, Crichton or Urquhart? And, apart from the Parliament, only two [are] from the 20th century: no Museum of Scotland, no Burrell Collection, no St Peter's Cardross."

Penny Lewis, the editor of Prospect, Scotland's architecture magazine, agrees. "The one building missing from this list is St Peter's Cardross by Gillespie Kidd and Coia, which even in its current dilapidated state remains one of Scotland's best modern buildings. "This book is clearly for romantics, and no doubt the journey to reach these buildings is as important as the buildings themselves."

Some are favourites with tourists to Scotland, others are off the beaten path, and a couple are virtually unheard of, but all have been included for their architectural merit. Why not immerse yourself in Scotland's rich architectural heritage by taking a trip to one of these exceptional buildings this weekend? If you're feeling a bit under the weather, it may be advisable to get a few of them under your belt. Just in case...

• 1001 Buildings You Must See Before You Die is published by Cassell Illustrated on 19 November, priced £20

Glasgow School of Art, 1909 Charles Rennie Mackintosh

SEEN by many as the first modern building of the 20th century, Mackintosh's masterpiece is described by Sir Christopher Frayling, the rector of the Royal College of Art, as "the only art school in the world where the building is worthy of the subject".

"This is a building designed for an artist by an artist," says Stuart Robertson, the director of the Charles Rennie Mackintosh Society. "Mackintosh liked to stimulate the inhabitants of his buildings, and what could be a more inspirational building for an art student?"

Hill House, Helensburgh, 1902 Charles Rennie Mackintosh

DESIGNED for the publisher Walter Blackie, Hill House is an example of Mackintosh's holistic approach to design. "The house and walled gardens are designed as one, while maintaining reference to his fascination with the Scottish castle," says Simon Chadwick, a tutor at the Mackintosh School of Architecture. "Mackintosh was given free rein to tackle the interiors as well as the building itself, and, as a result, we see his complete vision for [it]," says Robertson. "It's magical. Walking into the hall is like walking into an enchanted forest."

Bernat Klein Design Studio, Selkirk, 1972 Peter Womersley

BUILT for the Yugoslavian-born textile designer Bernat Klein, this modern reinforced concrete and glass studio was described by architectural commentator Charles Strang "as exceptional to look from as to look at".

"Wormersley was one of Scotland's best post-war architects. The studio is set in woodland with the main studio space lifted up and projecting out into the trees," says Penny Lewis, the editor of Prospect, Scotland's architecture magazine.

An Turas, Tiree, 2003 Sutherland Hussey Architects

AN TURAS means "the journey" in Gaelic, and this small folly, built as a shelter for passengers awaiting the local ferry, takes the inhabitant on a journey through three stages, engaging with the terrain and framing the landscape. "The first part of the building is open to the sky, the second part is open to the ground, and the third is a completely enclosed glass box, giving the inhabitant the stunning picture-postcard panorama of Tiree," says architect Charlie Hussey.

St Vincent Street Church, Glasgow, 1859 Alexander 'Greek' Thomson

THOUGH Thomson never left Britain, he was given his nickname thanks to the Greek Revival style he applied to buildings as diverse as homes, warehouses and churches. St Vincent Street Church is considered one of his finest works. "Almost ruined by surrounding development, it is testament to Glasgow's treatment of its exceptional and unique architectural heritage. It's not just classical detailing - he shows his genius in dealing with a corner plot on a steeply sloping site," says Chadwick.

Dalmeny Church, 1140 Patron: Earl Gospatric

"DALMENY is famous as the best-preserved Norman church in the country," according to architectural historian Colin McWilliam.

Built for the local landowner from sandstone (hence its longevity), while this parish church is fairly typical of others in Scotland of the same period, its detailed sculpture - incorporating motifs that range from centaurs to the tree of life - identifies it as part of a distinct local group that includes Dunfermline Abbey.

Falkland Palace, Cupar, 1541 Patron: King James V of Scotland

WHEN James V decided to rebuild his hunting lodge at Falkland, he visited the Loire valley with a French master-mason, looking for inspiration.

With his latest project he was keen to please the French court, since his French wife, Marie de Guise, was set to inherit Falkland Palace after his death.

Built largely by French masons, the result is a square plan around a central courtyard, and Renaissance detailing that was sure to keep the French court happy.

Craigievar Castle, Alford, 1626 Patron: William Forbes

THE fairytale Scottish castle, Craigievar "wears the ceremonial dress of warlike display rather than the armor of battle", according to the Scottish art critic, and contributor to the book 1001 Buildings..., Neil Manson Cameron. With its clusters of turrets and gables, the emphasis here is firmly on grandeur, and, with its sheer walls and uncompromising verticality, it was designed to appear fortified, despite the fact that the need for such defensive architecture had largely passed.

Culzean Castle, Maybole, 1792 Robert Adam

ADAM is generally regarded as the greatest British architect of the 18th century, and Culzean castle is one of his most famous works.

"The setting of Culzean castle is as compelling, if not more so, than Robert Adam's series of romantic interventions," says Lewis. "It's neither castle nor Enlightenment villa. The joy of the building is in the interior, in particular the central lobby with its oval stair. The gardens, the view and the beach are all stunning."

Royal High School, Edinburgh, 1829 Thomas Hamilton

DESCRIBED alongside St George's Hall in Liverpool as one of the "two finest buildings in the kingdom" by Alexander Thomson in 1866, the Royal High School helped to cement Edinburgh's reputation as the "Athens of the North", thanks to its sophisticated massing of Greek Revival elements. Built on Calton Hill and overlooking the centre of the city, it made the reputation of its architect as a master of the Classical language of architecture.

Tenement House, Glasgow, 1892 Clarke & Bell
TENEMENT House is extraordinary simply because it is so ordinary. The home of Agnes Toward from 1911 until 1965, it is a snapshot of life at the turn of the century, with all the traditional features of the Scottish tenement perfectly preserved.

"Tenement House shows us exactly how each space was designed to be inhabited and illustrates why the tenement is the core housing stock in Scottish cities, and remains as popular today as it ever was," says Chadwick.

Kinloch Castle, Rhum, 1906 Leeming & Leeming

"I CAN scarcely describe the effect of the crowded Edwardian interior of Kinloch Castle," wrote John Betjeman after visiting this opulent Scottish castle.The mock-Tudor house was built by the industrialist Sir George Bullough as a sporting retreat, complete with its own hydroelectric plant, air conditioning and telephone system. "Kinloch castle provides a fascinating insight into social history and the mindset of the Victorian entrepreneur," says Lewis.

Italian Chapel, Orkney, 1945 Domenico Chiocchetti

A UNIQUE building, utilising concrete and scrap materials, the chapel was built by Italian prisoners of war who had been sent to Orkney to assist with the construction of the Churchill Barrier.

"The chapel is a tribute to the creative powers of men at war, and their ability to transcend the misery of war through artistic illusion. It provides a welcome, delicate and very human relief from the wild and windy Orkney landscape and the strange marine wreckages that surround it," says Lewis.

Scottish Parliament, Edinburgh, 2004 Enric Miralles, RMJM

ITS construction may have been embroiled in controversy, but the finished building is an architectural triumph. "It is an exceptional achievement - against all odds - by one of Europe's most interesting modern architects. The building is rigorously detailed and provides a feast of successive spatial experiences. The overriding architectural effect calls into question issues of 'the ordinary' and 'the special'. Is it possible to achieve one without the other?" asks Chadwick.