Scotland Tourist Attractions
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Edinburgh Castle
Edinburgh
With over a million annual visitors, Edinburgh Castle is the 2nd most visited ancient
monument in the UK behind the Tower of London.
Towering high above the city of Edinburgh on the great volcanic Castle Rock with
panoramic views of the country’s capital, parts of Edinburgh Castle date to the
12 century.
There is so much to see and do at Edinburgh Castle that there is something for all
ages and tastes.
Don’t miss the One O'Clock Gun - fired every day except Sunday at precisely 1.00pm
to provide everyone with an accurate check for their clocks and watches. It will
certainly startle you if you are anywhere near the Castle at that moment!
Highlights include the Great Hall, which was completed in 1511 and now houses an
interesting collection of weapons and armour, Mons Meg - one of the World’s oldest
cannons at over 550 years old, the National War Museum and the Prisons of War Exhibition,
recalling the conditions the 18th century captives endured.
Perhaps the most popular and famous attraction are The Honours of Scotland, the
crown jewels of Scotland which consist of a crown, sceptre and sword dating from
the late 15th and early 16th centuries. Displayed in the Crown Room, which was build
for the purpose of storing the Honours in 1617, The Honours of Scotland still play
a vital role in Scotland’s ceremonial life - they are formally presented to each
new sovereign; and the crown is present at State openings of the Scottish Parliament.
The Sceptre dates to 1494, the Sword 1508, and the Crown was made in 1540.
The oldest building within Edinburgh Castle and indeed the whole of Edinburgh is
St. Margaret's Chapel, which dates to the early 1100’s. This tiny irregular Norman
building has survived all kinds of attacks on the castle and stood intact and is
well worth a look. Today, members of the castle garrison still have the right to
be married within the Chapel.
Address
Edinburgh Castle
Castlehill
Edinburgh
EH1 2NG
Official website
www.edinburghcastle.gov.uk
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