Places to go > Edinburgh & Lothian > Edinburgh Castle < Castles & Forts < Things to do

Castles & Forts: Beaumaris Castle, Wales Caernarfon Castle, Wales Caerphilly Castle, Wales Cardiff Castle, Wales Carew Castle, Wales Carreg Cennen Castle, Wales Carrickfergus Castle, N. Ireland Castell Coch, Wales Castell Dinas Bran, Wales Chirk Castle, Wales Cilgerran Castle, Wales Conwy Castle, Wales Denbigh Castle, Wales Dinefwr Castle, Wales Dundrum Castle, N. Ireland Dunluce Castle, N. Ireland Dunseverick Castle, N. Ireland Dunster Castle, England Enniskillen Castle, N. Ireland Harlech Castle, Wales Kidwelly Castle, Wales Pembroke Castle, Wales Powis Castle, Wales Raglan Castle, Wales Rhuddlan Castle, Wales Tretower Castle & Court, Wales ................................................. _________________________________

Edinburgh & Lothian attractions: Royal Yacht Britannia Scottish Parliament Building St Giles Cathedral ................................................. _________________________________

Edinburgh Castle Castle Hill, Edinburgh, EH1 2NG, UK. Tel. +44 (0) 131 225 9846.

By Kirsten Griew

	www.TREKtheUK.com

Edinburgh's castle perches on top of a 133 metre high extinct volcano. It provides Scotland's capital with its origins and remains the dramatic focal point of the city today.

It is hard to escape the magnificent sight of this historic fortress. The rock, with its sheer basalt cliff, drew Queen - later Saint - Margaret, wife of Malcolm III, to persuade her husband in the 11th century to move his capital from Dunfermline to Edinburgh, where it has remained ever since. Edinburgh's oldest building is the castle's 12th century chapel dedicated to Margaret by her son, David I. Successive monarchs of Scotland resided in the palace buildings of the castle,

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while during the 13th and 14th century 'Wars of Independence' it passed back and forth between Scots and English as a symbol of strength.

Today you can still visit the Great Hall built by James IV, used for banquets and state occasions, and the 15th century palace, where Mary Queen of Scots gave birth to her son who was to become both James VI of Scotland and James I of England. The palace now houses the 'Honours of Scotland' - the oldest complete crown jewels in Europe. Next to the jewels is the Stone of Destiny, upon which Scotland’s monarchs were crowned. Scotland's National War Museum is within the castle walls, as is the National War Memorial, designed by Sir Robert Lorimer. There are exhibitions on the life of the 1000 Prisoners of War held in the castle and on the Royal Scots regiment who had their headquarters here.

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UK Castles & Forts in our Castles tour section:

Beaumaris Castle
Caernarfon Castle
Caerphilly Castle
Cardiff Castle
Carew Castle
Carreg Cennen Castle
Carrickfergus Castle
Castell Coch
Castell Dinas Bran
Chirk Castle
Cilgerran Castle
Conwy Castle
Denbigh Castle
Dinefwr Castle
Dundrum Castle
Dunluce Castle
Dunseverick Castle
Dunster Castle
Enniskillen Castle,
Harlech Castle,
Kidwelly Castle
Pembroke Castle
Powis Castle
Raglan Castle
Rhuddlan Castle
Tretower Castle
Edinburgh Castle

Other Scotland travel related links:

Scotland hotel
Scotland tour
Cottage holiday Scotland
Scotland hostel