Fountain, Palace Yard,Holyrood Palace, Edinburgh

The fountain at Palace Yard, Holyrood Palace in Edinburgh, was designed by Robert Matheson in 1859. It is a large, elaborately carved sandstone structure that features a triple crown and is set in a sunken circular basin on an octagonal plinth, located at the center of the Palace forecourt.

The fountain has a tall, tiered base course that is buttressed at the edges. Each face of the base has a carved lion's head faucet. Above this, there is an intricately carved three-tier octagonal sculpture that includes flying buttresses, pedestals, statues, and heraldic emblems and shields, which feature sejant erect lions and unicorns. The carvings also depict portrait heads, floral details, animals, and decorative medallions. At the top, the fountain is surmounted by four figures that support a crown, which has the Scottish Royal Crest as a finial.