Tour the castle with us!

Join us for an exclusive eight stop virtual tour around Stirling Castle. While we stay at home, we can start dreaming of going out and exploring Scotland’s heritage again. Until then, we have put together these 360° views of the castle. See some of our favourite places at the castle on a sunny winter’s day.

A First Glimpse

 

We start in the small tunnel you pass right after entering the castle. It also known as the Queen Anne Gate. This entrance through the overport battery was built between 1708 and 1714 during the time of the Jacobite Risings. The long, straight tunnel is flanked by bomb-proof casemates designed to absorb the impact of cannon balls. Queen Anne’s initials appear on a carved stone above the archway.

The Queen Anne Gardens

 

The castle’s beautiful gardens are also named after Queen Anne, even though the monarch never visited the castle. This part of the castle was used as a bowling green since the 1620s. The gardens are also the best spot to see the Royal Palace in its full glory. In the summertime, this space becomes a spectacular rose garden. Turning around, you can see the casemates, which house our Castle Exhibition.

The Forework Gatehouse

 

Our second and most iconic Gatehouse is known as the Forework. Can you believe the towers were originally twice as high? If you look closely, you can observe a real piece of history on its walls. There are distinct bullet holes in the two towers. These are centuries old and date back to 1651 when General Monck took the castle by siege whilst Charles II resided here as King of Scotland.

To the left, you can see the French Spur, a gun platform that was probably created by French troops fighting for the Scots in the 16^th century.

The Outer Close

‘Why is that building yellow?’ is a question frequently asked by visitors of the castle when they see our Great Hall. The short answer is that the ‘Kings gold’ colour once would have covered all buildings at the castle to show off its splendour for miles. The long answer fills a whole other blog. Another highlight you can spot from the Outer Close are the many sculptures and carvings which adorn the Royal Palace.

Fantastic views

 

Only a few steps away, we get to enjoy these views from the castle walls. Can you spot the National Wallace Monument in the distance? The monument has been our neighbour in Stirling for over 150 years.

The Inner Close

 

All four major buildings at the castle frame what is known as the Inner Close; The Great Hall, the Royal Palace, the King’s Old Building and the Chapel Royal. The chapel was built in1594 for the baptism of Prince Henry, son of James VI of Scotland and grandson of Mary Queen of Scots. The impressive building was finished in under seven months, an incredible effort at the time!

The Douglas Gardens

 

If you walk past the King’s Old Building and Chapel Royal, you find another idyllic garden at the castle. Although its name derives from one of the most gruesome nights in the castle’s history, it is the quietest spot within the castle grounds. It also offers fantastic views over the Nether Bailey area and the Ochil Hills.

One last look

 

Before we leave, we get to stand high up on the castle walls and enjoy one last sun flooded view. You can see the Royal Palace and Great Hall from here and see a bit of the city of Stirling from afar.

We hope you enjoyed this virtual walk around Stirling Castle. Can’t get enough of virtually touring the castle? You’re in luck! For a short time only, you can now listen to our complete audio guide online. For even more castle images and history, follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

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