The construction of St Andrew Square began in 1772,[1] as the first part of the New Town, designed by James Craig.

Within six years of its completion St Andrew Square became one of the most desirable and most fashionable residential areas in the city.

[3] The square has several shops, including the department store Harvey Nichols and the designer precinct Multrees Walk.

It is also home to The Edinburgh Grand Hotel and apartments, as well as a series of London chain restaurants and bars on its south side, such as Hawksmoor, Drake & Morgan, Dishoom and The Ivy.

[4] The Melville Monument is surrounded by St Andrew Square Gardens, recently redesigned and opened to the public.

Once the intended site for St Andrew's Church, Dundas House became the head office of the Royal Bank of Scotland in 1825.

[5] Architectural features of Dundas House are represented today on the "Ilay" series of banknotes issued by the Royal Bank; the building's Palladian facade features on the obverse of each note, as the background graphic on both sides of the notes is a radial star design which is based on the ornate ceiling of the banking hall inside Dundas House, designed by John Dick Peddie in 1857.

The original St Andrew Square Bus station was demolished in 2000, with a modern replacement opening to the public in 2003.