Edinburgh Castle
Edinburgh Castle sits on an extinct volcanic plug overlooking the city, with fortifications dating back to the 12th century and continuous royal and military use for much of that span, making it one of the most fought-over sites in Britain. It holds the Honours of Scotland (the crown jewels), the Stone of Scone (used in the coronation of Scottish and British monarchs), and St Margaret's Chapel, the oldest surviving building in Edinburgh, dating to the early 12th century.
The castle's military history runs throughout, including the National War Museum on site and the Scottish National War Memorial, and the daily firing of the One O'Clock Gun (a tradition dating back to 1861, originally to give ships in the harbour an accurate time signal) is worth timing a visit around. Views from the castle ramparts over the city and Firth of Forth are excellent on a clear day.
It's Edinburgh's most-visited paid attraction and gets busy, so booking a timed ticket online in advance is worth doing, especially during the Fringe Festival in August; budget 2-2.5 hours on site.
Edinburgh Castle FAQs
Yes, booking a timed-entry ticket online ahead is strongly recommended, particularly in summer and during the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in August.
A cannon fired daily (except Sundays) at 1pm from the castle ramparts, a tradition dating to 1861 originally used to give ships in the harbour an accurate time signal.
Yes, the Honours of Scotland, along with the Stone of Scone, are on display inside the castle as part of the standard visit.
About 2-2.5 hours to see the main sites, including St Margaret's Chapel, the Honours of Scotland, and the National War Museum.
St Margaret's Chapel, dating from the early 12th century, is both the oldest building in the castle and the oldest surviving building in Edinburgh.
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