- Type
- Castle
- Location
- Scotland, United Kingdom
- Coordinates
- 56.1239°, -3.9478°
History
Set on a volcanic hill, the castle commanded the most important crossing of the River Forth, and it was said that whoever held Stirling held Scotland. It changed hands repeatedly during the Wars of Independence, and the battles of Stirling Bridge in 1297 and Bannockburn in 1314 were fought nearby. Its golden age came under the Stewarts: James IV built the Great Hall, James V a Renaissance palace around 1540, and James VI the Chapel Royal in 1594. In 1543 the infant Mary, Queen of Scots was crowned in the castle chapel. The castle later served as an army barracks until 1964, and in recent decades it has been restored to its royal splendour.
What to see
The Great Hall gleams with recreated golden limewash, and the royal palace has been returned to its colourful 16th-century look, including copies of the carved oak medallions known as the Stirling Heads. The Queen's Inner Hall is hung with newly woven tapestries of the Hunt of the Unicorn. Visit the Chapel Royal, the Great Kitchens and the gardens, and look out from the walls to the Wallace Monument and the field of Bannockburn.
Wikipedia article Official website Wikidata Q756268
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