The heart of Glass, a glass terraria at the Heart Of Glass, was opened on Saturday, becoming the first glass garden in Scotland to receive a state-of-the-art glass roof.
Glass, an innovative glass production facility located in Edinburgh, was designed to showcase the unique qualities of the Scottish landscape, and to offer visitors a glimpse of the natural environment in all its splendour.
The glass terrace features the most beautiful views of Scotland, the city and the surrounding countryside, including Glencoe, Mount Pleasant, Cairngorm, Edinburgh, and Strathclyde.
The glass terraces have been in use since 1996 and were the first of its kind in Scotland.
The terraces were originally installed as a demonstration of the sustainable use of glass in Scotland, with glass being used to make architectural elements and the glass itself to make decorative elements.
The terraces, which have been installed since April, feature a glass window which can be opened and closed with a flick of a switch, with the glass lining surrounding the glass terras roof and providing an unobstructed view of the landscape.
The main terrace, which can accommodate up to 80 guests, has a glass ceiling with a glass roof which opens to reveal a view of Scotland and its natural surroundings.
A second terrace has a larger glass window and allows visitors to view the countryside and nearby towns and villages.
The interior of the terraces is made from two metres (yards) of glass that is covered with a ceramic layer to help absorb moisture, and is covered by a curtain to prevent rainwater from entering.
Glass is also used to cover the walls of the glass domes and to create an ideal terrace for viewing wildlife and plants.
Visitors to the glass gardens can also visit the glass walls of a glass dome in which a glass shelf sits.
Glass terraces are open daily from 8am to 7pm, and visitors are able to see what the landscape is like under the glass.
Glass Garden has been open since April and will continue to be open year round.
