SCOTLAND's historic Parliament Hall will be a Fringe venue for the first time when it hosts an exhibition commemorating a £58 million redevelopment project.

The exhibition is being launched today by Scotland's top judge, Lord Gill.

Parliament Hall, situated within Parliament House, was the home of the pre-Union Scottish Parliament in the 17th and early 18th centuries and now houses Scotland's Supreme Courts.

Renovation work on the landmark building, which holds the Court of Session and the High Court, began in 2008 and was completed last year.

The Scottish Court Service (SCS) said the project to equip the building - which stands just off the Royal Mile in the heart of Edinburgh - with the necessary modern infrastructure was completed on time and on budget.

Lord Gill, the Lord President and chairman of the SCS board, said: "Behind the facade of Parliament House is a collection of buildings ranging over seven floors and containing more than 700 rooms. It is vital that this building is properly maintained."

He added: "This work was carried out while the business of the courts continued."

As part of the revamp the building's traditional courtrooms have been preserved but adapted to allow the presentation of evidence, productions and documents, electronically and remotely, from any part of the world.