Crystal structures of -,and -Sr 2 B 2 O 5 polymorphs resulting from the $ (at 565 K) $ (at 637 K) 0 $ (at 651 K) sequence of reversible first-order phase transitions are studied by high-temperature single-crystal X-ray diffraction, high-temperature X-ray powder diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry and impedance spectroscopy. Out of these phases, the structure of -Sr 2 B 2 O 5 was already known whereas the structures ofand -Sr 2 B 2 O 5 were determined for the first time. The sequence of phase transitions is associated with an unusual change of symmetry, with triclinic intermediate -Sr 2 B 2 O 5 phase and monoclinic low-temperature -Sr 2 B 2 O 5 as well as high-temperature -Sr 2 B 2 O 5 phase. Taking the -Sr 2 B 2 O 5 phase with space group P2 1 /c as a parent structure, the -Sr 2 B 2 O 5 phase was refined as a twofold superstructure with symmetry P2 1 /c, whereas the -Sr 2 B 2 O 5 phase was a sixfold superstructure with symmetry P1. To construct a unified structure model for all Sr 2 B 2 O 5 modifications, phases ofand -Sr 2 B 2 O 5 were also refined as commensurately modulated structures using the basic unit cell of the parent -Sr 2 B 2 O 5 . The phase transitions are related to the orientational order-disorder arrangement of B 2 O 5 pyroborate groups, where the degree of disorder grows towards the hightemperature phase. Thermal expansion is strongly anisotropic and dictated by preferable orientations of BO 3 triangles in the structure. The intermediate phase 0 -Sr 2 B 2 O 5 , stable over a narrow temperature range (637-651 K), features the largest anisotropy of expansion for the known borates: 11 = 205, 22 = 57, 33 = À81 Â 10 À6 K À1 .