The Scottish Parliament building was last night named this year's winner of Britain's most prestigious architecture prize.
The multi-award-winning project beat off challenges from five other contenders to scoop the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) Stirling Prize, dubbed the "Oscars of architecture".
The gong is the latest in a stream of major architectural awards to be bestowed upon the Holyrood building.
The design, inspired by upturned boats, was called a "statement of sparkling excellence" by RIBA judges.
Enric Miralles, the Spanish architect of Holyrood - which was built three years late and more than 10 times over budget - died in July 2000 before the building was completed but his widow, Benedetta Tagliabue, attended last nights awards ceremony in Edinburgh to collect the prize.
The prize, now in its 10th year, is awarded to architects anywhere in the European Union for the building that has made the greatest contribution to British architecture in the past year.
The building saw off competition from five challenges - BMW Central Building in Leipzig, Germany; the Jubilee Library in Brighton, East Sussex; the McLaren Technology Centre in Woking, Surrey; the Fawood Children's Centre in Harlesden, north-west London and the Lewis Glucksman Gallery in Cork, Ireland.
PA