Stirling Castle, in the care of Historic Scotland, is open to the public all year round and seven days a week. The Castle is the greatest of Scotland's castles and one of the most popular visitor attractions in the country. Including the violent murder of the eighth Earl of Douglas by James II in 1452, many important events from Scotland's past took place at Stirling Castle. The Castle played an important role in the life of Mary Queen of Scots. She spent her childhood in the castle and Mary's coronation took place in the Chapel Royal in 1543.

A good place to begin is with the short audio-visual introduction to the castle and it's history. This display is situated under the 1714 fortifications which border the Queen Anne Gardens.

The Palace Block was stripped for military use and the Royal Chambers converted to mess rooms and officers' quarters. The King's Presence Chamber originally included an ornate cieling of over 100 carved oak heads which are the Stirling Heads. Many of the heads have been lost or destroyed. To restore the rich Renaissance decoration of the Kings' and Queens' apartments is the work now in progress. Stirling Castle is widely regarded as having the finest examples of architecture from that period in Europe.

Open Times:
All year seven days a week.
April to September: 9.30 to 18.00
October to March: 9.30 to 17.00

Address:
Stirlingshire
Scotland
FK8 1EJ
Phone: 01786 450000