Edinburgh Castle

With its sweeping panoramic views of the city, Edinburgh Castle is the perfect place to orient oneself shortly after arrival in Edinburgh and an ideal point of departure for a first day of sightseeing. Perched majestically atop Castle Rock, it is the most recognizable symbol of the city of Edinburgh and the culmination of its Royal Mile.

The castle was constructed during the Middle Ages and inhabited by Scottish monarchs until the 16th century, when its role began to shift from residential to military. It has played an important part in historic conflicts such as the Wars of Scottish Independence, the Bishops’ Wars and the Jacobite uprising. It is now home to the National War Museum of Scotland, the Scottish crown jewels and the 16th-century siege cannon Mons Meg. In keeping with a tradition that originated in 1861, the “one o’clock gun” is still fired from the castle’s battery everyday at 1:00 pm, even though ships in Leith Harbour no longer depend on it as a time signal.