The greatest tourist attraction in Edinburgh
The magnificent castle dominates the sky above Edinburgh, located on the volcanic rock 80 meters above sea level. A few buildings in the complex of the castle have been built before the 16th century while the oldest building (St. Margaret’s Chapel) dates from the early 12th century. On this volcanic rock there was a settlement as early as the 9th century BC.
For touring the Edinburgh castle there are very interesting guided tours in which the guide leads you into a world of intrigue and a wild past the castle has lived through. If you are lucky you will get a guide in a kilt. From the castle magnificent panoramic views on Edinburgh can be enjoyed.
Multiple times throughout history the castle has been used as a prison and a place for execution. Today in the castle there is a display of prison objects from the 18th century, and most of those objects were made by the prisoners themselves. Many opposing soldiers, sailors, pirates, traitors, as well as women who were thought to be witches were captivated here. In the 16th century many public executions took place here. They were mainly hangings, burning at the stake and beheading.
Who would reckon there are ghosts here?
The reputation that follows the Edinburgh prison is that it is the most haunted castle in Scotland, while it is presumed that Edinburgh has the biggest number of ghosts of any city in Europe. No wonder, considering the countless executions and tortures that happened here. Some visitors of the castle spoke of French prisoner ghosts, even a dog ghost has been seen at the cemetery.
In 2001 the castle has been under the possibly largest paranormal investigation ever conducted. In certain areas of the castle sudden temperature drops where recorded, the feeling you are being watched or touched, and several shadowy figures have been seen. Unexplainable figures have been captured in photos.
A volunteer who was brave enough to spend the night in one of the tombs claims that immediately after she was left alone in the room she heard loud breathing from the corner of the room and then a flash of light from there. That was enough to make her cry and to give up on spending the night there. That is enough to tickle anybodies imagination! Because it is very strange that all these weird things happened in certain places in the castle, and people have reported weird things before the research was even conducted in those exact spots…
What should you see in the Edinburgh castle?
A large hall from the beginning of the 16th century where various state ceremonials are held today. The roof over this hall is one of the two medieval roofs that exist today in Scotland. In the King’s palace where kings and queens stayed during their visit to Edinburgh, you can see the royal crown, sword and scepter used during coronation. Although the King’s palace wasn’t the most comfortable place (it wasn’t exactly royally comfy) it was used because it was the safest building in the complex.
In the Edinburgh castle is one of the oldest cannons in the world, Mons Meg, over 550 years old. The cannon weighs over 6 tons, and it used to fire cannonballs weighing around 150 kilograms. Because of the huge weight of the cannon moving it to locations where it was needed was very difficult, and with that moving a grueling 5 kilometers a day.
The tradition started in 1861, and today still every day, at 13:00 the main gunner fires in the air. This tradition in the past served the purpose of telling people the time. They don’t fire on Sunday, Good Friday and Christmas.
The castle in Edinburgh is the most visited tourist attraction in Scotland where you have to pay to get in. The castle is visited by more than a million tourists every year. Today, it has become the symbol of Edinburgh and the entire Scotland.
