Edinburgh Castle

Edinburgh Castle is Britain's second most popular tourist attraction, and the most popular tourist attraction in Scotland.

Edinburgh Castle History

Edinburgh Castle has a long and intriguing history, from it's initial beginnings as a fortified settlement in prehistoric times to its current standing as a formidable fortress and popular visitor attraction. The first part of the Castle to be built that is still in existence is the Queen Margaret Chapel, built by her son David I after her death in 1093. From there Edinburgh Castle has grown and, most notably in 1356 when King David II began the ambitious defensive work that would make it recognisable today. The Castle was then captured by the English in 1573, and was further strengthened in 1640 to thwart attacks by early Covenanters, and also resisted the final assault made on it by Bonnie Prince Charlie in 1745.

Construction of The Castle Esplanade, where the Royal Military Tattoo is held every year, began in 1753 and was widened with railings and walls added shortly after the turn of the 19th century. From then on it was used as a barracks (and briefly as a prison) and is still guarded by Scottish soldiers with a number of regiments based there.

Things to see and do at Edinburgh Castle

Mons Meg - Mons Meg is a 22" caliber canon, and a popular reason to visit Edinburgh Castle. The 6 ton canon was capable of firing its 150kg cannonballs over 2 miles, and currently sits outside St Margaret's Chapel.

Honours of Scotland - Scotland's crown jewels, known as the Honours of Scotland, are the oldest surviving regalia in the British Isles, and second oldest in Europe. A gift from the Pope to the King of Scotland, they consist of sceptre, sword and crown, and were first used in the coronation of the infant Mary, Queen of Scots in 1543.

Museums - There are a number of museums in Edinburgh Castle, there is the National War Museum and the Regimental Museum of the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards to name but two.

St. Margaret's Chapel - This is the oldest part of the Castle in existence and dates back to the 12th century. The Chapel is very small, but is a great example of Norman architecture.

The Great Hall - Built at the start of the 14th century the Great Hall of the Castle, which features a Gothic open timber roof, was built on the orders of King James IV. Prior to 1639, the Great Hall was used for meetings of the Parliament of Scotland.

One O'Clock Gun - One of Edinburgh Castle's most known tourist attractions, the One O'Clock gun is fired every day from Monday to Saturday. The gun was initially used to give ships 2 miles away in Leith harbour an accurate time check. The One O' Clock Gun is also fired to mark the arrival of New Year, which you will get to see if you spend Hogmanay in Edinburgh.

There are a lot more things to see at Edinburgh Castle, from the view that you get across the Edinburgh and the Firth of Forth, to the varied examples of architecture, and a wealth of Scotlands Heritage, Edinburgh Castle should definitely be part of your itinerary on your travels to Edinburgh.

Accommodation and Hotels near Edinburgh Castle

All of our city centre accommodation is close to the castle, so any of our Edinburgh hotels and guest houses would suit you, please contact us for more information, or have a look at our hotels map to see which of our properties is ideally located for your break in Edinburgh.