This is what a visit to Edinburgh Castle (Scotland) is like: what to see, schedules, prices

Without a doubt, the great monument that will have great prominence in your Edinburgh visit, main stage in a trip to scotland, this is big castle with its impressive location at the top of the medieval city.

El Edinburgh castle It is located on the rocky summit of an ancient volcano that is now extinct, and from its viewpoints you have the best panoramic views of the city and the gulf where the Scottish capital is located.

On the contrary, from important tourist areas of Edinburgh, such as the princes street park, or from the Calton Hill, the castle becomes the great reference of the best views of the medieval city.

To visit Edinburgh Castle, you must climb the hill of the medieval city, where you will reach the Royal Mile.

This is the long street that goes up from the Palace of Holyroodhouse, current official residence of the queen of scotland, to the top of the hill where the castle sits.

Curiosities from the history of Edinburgh Castle

Actually, the Edinburgh castle It is a large complex of buildings and fortifications that began to be built in the 12th century, and that has been completed and remodeled until the 20th century.

Already in the year 1140 it was the seat of the Scottish Parliament.

Furthermore, this great fortification was the residence of the kings of scotland until 1603 when the kingdoms of England and Scotland, at which time the royal residence was moved to London.

Going up Royal Mile, once you have passed the large pointed tower of the building The hub, you arrive at the large esplanade that is in front of the access door to the castle.

For the visit you have the option of signing up for a Edinburgh Castle Toura guide in spanish and an hour and a half long, with the skip-the-line entrance Included.

But if you prefer to visit the monument on your own, below I am going to highlight the main corners that you should visit during the tour.

This is what it's like to visit Edinburgh Castle

Si vas a Visit Edinburgh in August, as I did during my last trip to Scotland, what you will find on that esplanade are the impressive stands that are set up to see the great Military Tattoo show.

This is a great event that takes place every night coinciding with the celebration of the Edinburgh International Festival.

Portcullis Gate in Edinburgh Castle

To enter the premises you will cross the Rake Gate (its name in English is Portcullis Gate), which has always been the main access to this great fortification, since the location on a cliff only offers an easy entrance from the east side.

La Rake Gate It has an enormous structure built in 1573 after the long siege that destroyed the tower that had served as access to the great fortification since the XNUMXth century.

You will see that, in reality, there are two doors, and between them you will find the lockers.

As soon as you pass the second door, when you have really entered the Edinburgh castle, on the right is the office with the castle guide and audio guide service.

The Grand Staircase of Edinburgh Castle

On the left you will see the grand staircase, which, with its 70 steep steps, was historically the main access to the castle.

The inconvenience of the same for the transport of bulky objects, or the impossibility of the carts being able to climb, meant that a more comfortable access was enabled, going up the slopes that surround the fortification.

Argyle Battery Viewpoint at Edinburgh Castle

Already during your tour of the Edinburgh castle, you will have the opportunity to enjoy the beautiful views of the city from its numerous viewpoints while walking through the different fortifications, with their cannon batteries.

The first viewpoint is that of the Argyle battery, a section of the wall in which six cannons manufactured in 1810, during the Napoleonic Wars, are located.

Obviously they are not the original cannons, since the Argyle battery It was built in the 1730s.

From Argyle battery you have, in the foreground, panoramic views of the park Princes street, with the Scott monument, and in the background you will see the hill of Calton Hill.

Also worth highlighting is the impressive building of the Balmoral Hotel, in the aforementioned Princes street.

One o'clock Gun at Edinburgh Castle

As you advance along the castle wall you will find the One O'Clock Canyon, the only piece in the so-called Mills Mount Battery.

This name of the cannon clearly describes the main function of this cannon: to be fired almost every day of the year at 13:XNUMX p.m. (except Sundays, Good Friday y Christmas).

The idea arose in 1861 in the image and likeness of a cannon that fulfilled the same functions in Paris.

Currently, the One O'Clock Canyon It is a modern 105mm piece that was assembled in 2001.

Next to this canyon is the old Car Shed, a building built in the 40th century with the capacity to house up to XNUMX cars.

We now find it occupied by the castle's cafe-restaurant.

Walk through the interior fortification, its walls and cannons

To access this most protected area of ​​the castle, we must go through the Foog Gate, which was built in the 17th century, precisely to strengthen the interior defenses.

Its enormously wide walls are suitable for cannons.

In this interior area we will find the most outstanding buildings of Edinburgh Castle, those that surround the so-called Crown Square.

Within this fortified area of ​​Edinburgh Castle, we will be able to walk along its walls and we will pass through the Argyle Tower.

Built in 1887, occupying the upper part of the Rake Gate, the initial objective was for it to house the Crown Jewels, which has never happened.

In this area of ​​the inner walls, we will also see the curious dog cemetery, a small garden area where the regiment's mascots and castle officers have been buried since 1840.

To finish our walk along these walls, we will also find some gun batteries pointing towards the centre of modern Edinburgh.

From these canyons we have the sensation of being able to “destroy” the Scott monument or Balmoral Hotel.

St Margaret's Chapel, the oldest building in Edinburgh

Once you have climbed the slope towards the inner fortification, after crossing the Foog Gate, at the top you will see a small stone building: it is the Chapel of Santa Margarita.

You will be before the oldest building from Edinburgh, since this chapel was built in the year 1130 to fulfill the functions of Royal chapel.

small Chapel of Santa Margarita On the outside it shows us an extremely austere image, but it is inside where you will discover a very simple but charming decoration.

We visitors crowded into the small interior of the chapel to contemplate the beautiful stained glass windows in the small windows inserted in the wide stone wall.

In front of the altar you can see a small arch with beautiful moldings.

La St Margaret's Chapel, Edinburgh Castle It was used during the 16th century as a gunpowder warehouse, for which the stone vaulted ceiling was built.

Today this small and historic chapel continues to be used as an exclusive venue for weddings and baptisms.

Mons Meg cannon at Edinburgh Castle

Also noteworthy is the Grand Canyon mons meg.

While the Argyle battery, right at the entrance to the castle grounds, and the One O'Clock Canyon, are among the most prominent, without a doubt the great “star” among the cannons of the fortification is the one known as mons meg.

El Grand Canyon Mons Meg It was manufactured in the Belgian city of Mons in 1449, and with his six tons of weight, with the latest weapons technology of the time, fired projectiles weighing 150 kilos.

In 1457, James II of Scotland He received it as a gift, and in subsequent years it was used for the siege of various castles in Scotland.

But due to its excessive weight and the difficulties in transporting it (it could travel only five kilometers a day dragged by a hundred men), it stopped being used as a siege weapon in 1550.

From then on, the Mons Meg cannon was used as salute cannon.

Perhaps its key moment was when in 1558 it was shot to celebrate the wedding of Maria stuart, and the bullet reached more than three kilometers, reaching where the Edinburgh Botanic Garden.

The last time it was fired was in 1681, but as the tube burst, the cannon was abandoned for years in the Car Shed.

After a trip to London in 1754, it finally returned in 1829 to its current location in the interior fortification of the castle.

When you have the chance to see the Mons Meg canyon, right in front of the Chapel of Santa Margarita, remember that it is the most important cannon in Scotland's military history.

National War Museum

Other corners that you can also see on your walk around the castle are the National War Museum.

It was opened to the public in 1933 as a complement to the Scottish National War Memorial, which had been inaugurated six years earlier in the Crown Square, within the upper fortification of the castle.

In the same place where the War Museum is the Edinburgh Castle West Viewpoint, where we will have new panoramic views of the city.

To reach this area of ​​the castle, once we have crossed the Rake Gate and we have left on the right the Argyle battery, at the northern viewing point, and the old Car Shed, we will pass by the Governor's Residence.

From here we have to go down a short slope that will take us to the wall where the west lookout.

This area, where there are now several buildings, was initially used to build a powder magazine, in 1748..

Later, artillery warehouses were built, which at the end of the 19th century were used as a military hospital. And it is in these buildings that the National War Museum.

In this museum we can see the Military history of Scotland, since the 17th century, with an exhibition of uniforms, weapons, equipment and paintings with portraits of military personnel.

There are also temporary exhibitions, like the one I was able to visit in my trip to edinburgh, a truly impressive exhibition of photographs of British soldiers during their mission in Afghanistan.

On the wall next to the buildings of the National War Museum lies the west viewpoint of the castle. In the beautiful panoramic view what we have from Edinburgh, the towers of the St. Mary's Cathedral.

Scottish National War Memorial

One of the buildings of the Edinburgh Castle Crown Square whose origin is not from the medieval era is the Scottish National War Memorial.

When we reach the central and highest point, Edinburgh castle, which is the aforementioned Plaza de la Corona, in its northern part we see a large building that, at first glance, seems to be a church, but it has not been for a long time.

Actually, when Edinburgh Castle was built in the Middle Ages This space was occupied by a church, that of San María, but when the castle was expanded in the 1530s, the church became an ammunition depot, until it was demolished in 1754 to make way for barracks.

Already in 1923 it was decided to replace the barracks, which were no longer going to be used, with the Scottish National War Memorial during the World War I.

Opened in 1927, the memorial to those who fell in the Second World War and in subsequent conflicts.

When we enter this great monumental building, we really have the feeling of being in the main nave of a church, although all the decoration, both sculptures and glass windows, refer to war scenes or conceptual elements such as Courage or Peace.

Great Hall of Edinburgh Castle

One of the two original buildings remaining in the Crown Square is the Big room, and the visit to this noble area of ​​the castle takes on special relevance.

In this building built in 1511 with the aim of being used as a ceremonial hall, but due to different circumstances, its true history is more linked to housing a troop barracks than to holding celebrations.

On the one hand, the heirs of the King James IV, who was the one who commissioned the construction of the Great Hall of Edinburgh Castle, preferred to hold the celebrations in the Holyrood palace.

And later, in 1680, after the occupation of the castle by the troops of Cromwell, it was when The Great Hall became a barracks for troops.

El Big room that we see now, whose visit takes us totally back to the great medieval festivals, is the result of a Major restoration carried out in 1886. For this reason, most of the objects and corners that we can see were incorporated with the remodeling.

However, if we look up, the original half-timbered roof, which is one of the most important preserved in Great Britain.

We should also look at the stone supports with Renaissance figures that hold up the main beams of the wooden ceiling.

Finally, in the Great Hall of Edinburgh Castle We will also be very attracted by its big fireplace, gothic style wood panels and stained glass windows, although all these elements are part of the restoration of the medieval building.

Former Royal Palace at Edinburgh Castle

Finally, you will complete your tour with a visit to one of the most important places in the castle, which is also located in the aforementioned Crown Square.

I mean the former Royal Palace, which began to be built in 1430 to become the residence of the king of scotland.

But it was soon replaced for this purpose after the construction, in 1529, of the Palace of Holyroodhouse, situated on the eastern edge of the medieval city of Edinburgh.

Of the original building of the Royal Palace, practically nothing has been preserved inside, although you can still see an impressive hearth on your ground floor.

Subsequently, James VI of Scotland and I of England, son of Maria stuart, at the beginning of the 17th century he commissioned a complete remodeling of the Royal Palace, both exterior and interior.

Much of the resulting building is what we can see today when we arrive at the Crown Square.

Externally, the high central tower with a clock on its front.

How and where to see the Crown Jewels of Scotland

And it is precisely in the building of the former royal palace of scotland where during your visit to the castle Edinburgh you will be able to see the Scottish Crown Jewels.

When visit the interior of the Royal Palace of Edinburgh Castle Don't expect to see large halls or rooms.

In reality it is a brief tour of the lower part of it, where in addition to seeing the historic fireplace, you will visit a small exhibition where the history of the kingdom of Scotland is shown.

The highlight of the visit is the Crown Chamber, armored room where they are stored and displayed Scotland Honors (photos cannot be taken).

This exhibition has nothing to do with that of the Crown Jewels of England what you can see in the Tower of London.

It is much simpler, both because of the small room where they are kept, and because of the jewels that we see.

The so-called Scotland Honors they make up the Crown, Scepter and Ceremonial Sword which were used for the first time in Coronation of Mary StuartIn 1543.

Forged in Scotland and Italy, since 1651, Scottish Crown Jewels They hid so that they would not fall into the hands of Cromwell.

In 1707, after the signing of the Treaty of Union between England and Scotland, were kept in the Crown Chamber which we now visit.

Finally, Walter Scott He brought them back to light in 1818, to finally be exposed to the public.

Edinburgh Castle visiting hours

The  Edinburgh Castle visiting hours They are, from April to September, from 9,30:18 a.m. to 17 p.m., with last entry at XNUMX p.m.

From October to March you can visit the castle from 9,30:17 a.m. to XNUMX p.m., also with last access one hour before.

Edinburgh Castle Ticket Prices

The prices of the tickets to visit Edinburgh Castle are, adults, 19,50 pounds; children ages 7 to 15, 11,40 pounds; and seniors +65, 15,50 pounds.

La Admission is free for children under 7 years old.

How to visit Edinburgh Castle without the lines

Now, you have to keep in mind that the Edinburgh castle It is one of the increasing number of monuments in Europe whose visits produce long queues.

That happened when I went to visit the castle one day in August late in the morning, so I could estimate a very long delay in line of more than an hour.

We finally made the decision to visit late in the afternoon, when the queue was already a quarter of an hour long.

Therefore, if you plan to visit it during the high tourist season, it is best to make the online purchase of tickets in advance of your trip.

Guided tour of Edinburgh Castle

Or you also have a more complete and interesting option which is to sign up for this guided tour of Edinburgh Castle which already includes the skip-the-line entrance.

With the company of a guide in spanish, for two hours you will learn historical curiosities of this monument and discover its main corners (here you have another alternative to the guided tour in English and other languages).

Finally you have a more complete option that is useful for your visit to the city, which is to buy the Ticket Royal Edinburgh tourist pass, which includes the skip the line tickets all with visit Edinburgh Castle and Holyroodhouse Palace.

And also, you can use all three tourist buses who tour the Scottish capital and visit the HMY Britannia, a ship that was the naval residence of the Royal family for 44 years.