![]() Stirling Castle is our second castle upon a volcanic hill. If you’re interested in royal residences, Balmoral is a must-visit. Take a walk through the gardens and look for the 11 cairns built by Queen Victoria to honor members of the royal family, including the massive pyramid dedicated to Prince Albert. The castle, gardens, and exhibitions are generally open to the public from April to July annually. The palace was reportedly Queen EBII’s favorite place to dwell. While the official Scottish royal residence is the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh, royalty has long chosen to spend the majority of their days in the north at Balmoral’s stunning estate. They erected a new castle befitting the regality of 19th-century royalty. Balmoral CastleĪfter falling in love with Scotland in the 1840s, Prince Albert and Queen Victoria purchased the property where Balmoral Castle now rests. Tourists also enjoy a ceremonial firing of the upper wall cannon at 1:00 p.m. After more stealing and returning, it has now officially been returned to the Scottish people and is on display in the throne room. It was stolen by Edward I in 1296 and became part of the coronation chair of English and UK monarchs as well. This stone was the coronation stone of Scottish kings for centuries. ![]() It hosts the annual Edinburgh Military Tatoo, which brings in military marching bands from all over the world! The castle also houses the National War Museum and Scottish crown jewels, 12th-century Margaret’s Chapel, and the coronation stone… aka The Stone of Destiny. ![]() Since the 17th century, the castle has primarily served as a military barrack and a tourist attraction. Among its many skirmishes were the Wars of Scottish Independence in the 14th century, and the final siege-the Jacobite Rising of 1745. Historians state that the castle is one of the most battled over in the world. Edinburgh Castleĭominating the city from its perch atop an ancient volcano, Edinburgh Castle has served in various roles as a fortress, royal palace, and military barracks since the 12th century. While we certainly can’t list them all, here are a few of the must-sees ruins… in no particular order. If the walls of these structures could talk, they would certainly regale us all with tales of war, drunken brawls, and celebratory cèilidhs held within their towering halls. If you add in the abandoned abbeys, war-torn cathedrals, and faltering tower houses, you’ve now got a whole lifetime of exploring to do. With over 2,000 castles and ruins in Scotland, you could spend months crawling over rock crumbles and through fallen arches.
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