Scotland's First University
University of St Andrews
Founded in 1413, St Andrews spans six centuries of architecture in one small seaside town, from the Late Gothic St Salvator's Chapel to James Stirling's Brutalist Andrew Melville Hall, designed to resemble passing ships.
- 4Buildings
- 2Traditions
- 1450Oldest · St Salvator's Chapel
- 1967Newest · Andrew Melville Hall
Campus map and Look Around
Tap a numbered pin to see that building from the street with Apple Look Around.
Planning the visit
- Fly intoEdinburgh Airport (EDI)
Edinburgh Airport is the main gateway for St Andrews, about an hour and a half away by road. By rail, the nearest station is Leuchars, a short bus or taxi ride from town.
- Getting aroundWalking / Bus
St Andrews is a small town and the university buildings are spread along its old streets, so walking is the easiest way around. Local buses link the town with Leuchars station.
- Colors and teams
English is spoken throughout; the university's Scots name is University o St Andras and its Gaelic name Oilthigh Chill Rìmhinn.
4 buildings to stamp
-
Photo: Andy Hawkins, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons St Salvator's Chapel
North Street, St Andrews KY16 9AL
Founded in 1450 by Bishop James Kennedy, who is buried inside, this Late Gothic chapel is the university's main chapel. It has been refurbished in the 1680s, the 1860s and throughout the 20th century.
- Built
- 1450
- Style
- Late Gothic
- Today
- University chapel
-
St Mary's College
South Street, St Andrews KY16 9JU
Founded in 1538, the college keeps much of its original 16th-century north and west ranges around a quiet quad. In the quad grow a thorn tree said to have been planted by Mary, Queen of Scots, and the King James Library founded in 1612.
- Built
- 1538
- Style
- 16th-century collegiate
- Today
- School of Divinity
-
Photo: Jim Bain, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons Younger Hall
North Street, St Andrews KY16 9AJ
Paul Waterhouse's graduation hall on North Street mixes Neo-Classical and Art Deco ideas. Its foyer is lined in grey and green marble, and the main hall seats almost a thousand people.
- Built
- 1929
- Architect
- Paul Waterhouse
- Style
- Neo-Classical / Art Deco
- Today
- Graduation hall and events venue
-
Photo: eric jonathan martin, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons Andrew Melville Hall
North Haugh, St Andrews KY16 9SU
James Stirling built this hall of residence from prefabricated concrete modules on a ridge above the St Andrews Links, and it looks like a fleet of passing ships. It is now Category A listed and recognised as one of Scotland's key modern buildings.
- Built
- 1967
- Architect
- James Stirling
- Style
- Brutalist
- Today
- Student hall of residence
2 traditions to check off
Stamped! keeps these as a checklist, so you can tick each one off on the visit.
Patrick Hamilton's PH
The letters PH set in the cobbles outside St Salvator's Quad mark where Patrick Hamilton was burned at the stake in 1528. Tradition says any student who steps on them will fail their degree, so visitors step around them too.
Pier Walk
After chapel each week, students in red gowns walk the length of the historic harbour pier, with the busiest walk at the end of Freshers' Week. Visitors can watch the procession or walk the pier themselves.
Know University of St Andrews well?
Students and alumni know the traditions best. Suggest one we're missing, a building worth a stamp, or a fix. Every suggestion is checked against a source before it goes into the app.
More schools around the world
- Aalto University
- Durham University
- King's College London
- KU Leuven
- McGill University
- National Autonomous University of Mexico
- Trinity College Dublin
- University College London
- University of British Columbia
- University of Cambridge
- University of Edinburgh
- University of Glasgow
- University of Melbourne
- University of Oxford
- University of Padua
- University of Paris (Sorbonne)
- University of Sydney
- University of Toronto
- Uppsala University
Stamp all 4 on your visit.
Tour University of St Andrews in 3D before you go, add it to a college road trip and earn a passport stamp at every building. Free on iPhone and iPad.
Download on theApp Store