---
node: spot_edinburgh_edinburgh_castle
type: spot
slug: edinburgh_castle
destination: dest_edinburgh
title: "Edinburgh Castle"
lead: "Edinburgh Castle stands on the plug of an extinct volcano and has been besieged more often than any other place in Britain. It holds the Scottish crown jewels, the Stone of Destiny and a chapel from about 1130 that is the oldest building in the city."
published: 2026-08-12
updated: 2026-08-17
image_file: spot_edinburgh_edinburgh_castle.jpg
image_source: "https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Scotland-2016-Aerial-Edinburgh_Castle.jpg"
image_author: "Godot13"
image_license: "CC BY-SA 4.0"
---

## Overview

The rock made the site: sheer on three sides, approachable only up the ridge the Royal Mile runs along, which is why a fortress has stood here since at least the twelfth century. The Honours of Scotland were walled up during the Cromwellian occupation and forgotten for over a century until Walter Scott had the chest opened in 1818. The Stone of Destiny beside them was taken to Westminster in 1296 and returned in 1996, and goes back south only for coronations.

## Highlights

The one o'clock gun is fired every day but Sunday and is worth timing your visit around. Go at opening: this is the busiest paid attraction in Scotland and the courtyards are tight. Tickets are cheaper and guaranteed if bought online in advance.