Edinburgh Castle
Edinburgh's most famous and recognisable landmark is built on an extinct volcano. Steeped in history and part of Edinburgh's World Heritage site, it is one of Edinburgh's most visited tourist attractions.
The castle houses the Honours (Crown Jewels) of Scotland, the Stone of Destiny, the famous 15th century gun Mons Meg, the One O' Clock Gun and the National War Museum of Scotland.
Rich in history, the building has a very interesting and dramatic past. The oldest part, St Margaret's Chapel, dates from the 12th century; the Great Hall was erected by James IV around 1510; the Half Moon Battery by the Regent Morton in the late 16th century; and the Scottish National War Memorial after the First World War.
Mons Meg
Crown Jewels
What to see and do -
Key features of the castle include:
St Margaret's Chapel - Edinburgh's oldest building which dates from the 1100s
Crown Square - the principal courtyard which was developed in the 15th century
The Great Hall with its impressive hammerbeam roof built by James IV
The Half Moon Battery created in the late 16th century
The Scottish National War Memorial added after the First World War.
Prisons of War exhibition
Edinburgh Castle was a prison for sailors from many countries in the 18th and 19th centuries, including crewmen who sailed with John Paul Jones, founder of the American Navy. Their graffiti, handmade ships and other items are on display in the Prisons of War exhibition.
Other attractions include:
The Honours of the Kingdom exhibition - tells the story of Scotland's Crown Jewels saved from Cromwell to become some of the oldest surviving regalia in Europe
The famous Stone of Destiny - taken to Westminster Abbey in 1296 and returned to Scotland 700 years later.
Listen out for or watch the One O'Clock Gun and see a fascinating display on the history of time guns and timekeeping.
The giant medieval siege cannon Mons Meg once again standing proudly on the castle ramparts
The magnificent Laich Hall
The National War Museum of Scotland.
Portcullis Gate - This is the main gateway into the castle and consists of two outer doors, an iron portcullis and another door at the rear.
Lang Stairs -Climb the narrow steps that were the original way up into the castle in the Middle Ages.
Argyle Battery -Built in the 1730s, the Argyle Battery was the main artillery defence on the north side of the castle.
The Crown Jewel shop in the Royal Apartments offers exclusive lines of specially designed jewellery.
One O'Clock Gun
St Margaret's Chapel
Castle Hill,
Edinburgh, EH1 2NG
Tel 0131 225 9846
2007 Opening times
1 April to 31 October - Monday to Sunday 9.30am to 6.00pm.
1 November to 31 March - Monday to Sunday 9.30am to 5.00pm.
Last entry - 45 min before closing.
Christmas and New Year Period
Closed 25 and 26 December.
Open on 1 January and 2 January - please call for opening hours.
Museums at the Castle -The opening times for independent museums may vary. Please telephone to check opening times prior to visit.
2007 Admission prices
Adult £11.00 Child £5.50 Concessions £9.00
Last tickets sold 45 min before closing.
Child (ages 5 - 15); Concession (60 years and over and the unemployed).
Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult.
There are guided tours of the castle available, provided by the castle stewards. There is also an audio guide tour available, this takes the visitor around the castle, explaining its architecture and history. This guide is available in English, French, Italian, Spanish, Dutch, Japanese and German. The charge for Adults is £3.00, Concessions £2.00, Children £1.00.
There is a courtesy vehicle available that can take visitors with a disability to the top of the castle. Ramps and a lift give access to the Crown Jewels, Stone of Destiny and associated exhibition; and ramps provide access to the war memorial. For those with impaired vision, there is a free Braille guide and hands-on models of the Crown Jewels with Braille texts.
Photographs Copyright © 2007 Historic Scotland
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