Ever since I was a little kid, I wanted to visit Scotland. Maybe it was the accents that I’d only heard in movies, or perhaps it was all the pictures on the internet of vast fields, and amazing views. Don’t even get me started on the architecture! If you hadn’t already guessed, I kind of have a ‘thing’ for ancient, creepy-looking buildings. The older the building, the more interested I become.
So, when I got the chance to discover Scotland, I was beyond thrilled. Now, I am beyond excited to share my experience in Edinburgh, Scotland with you!
First thing to know about Edinburgh is that is a very compact city, and the capital of Scotland. This city has a medieval Old Town, and an elegant Georgian New Town encompassing beautiful gardens, and neoclassical buildings. A truly magnificent destination.
Looming high up on a cliff, over the city, is the Edinburgh Castle. This is where Scotland’s crown jewels and the Stone of Destiny sits. If you didn’t already know, the Stone of Destiny was used in the coronation of Scottish rulers!
The Castle (aka, Castle Rock) was built over 700 years ago upon massive rocks, which were part of an ancient extinct volcano! Through the ages, Castle Rock has been used as a royal residence, a prison, and an army garrison. It is the most significant castle in Scotland, probably because it has been at the center of numerous wars, having been both attacked and besieged many times. Now it is a nationwide monument, gallery, and tourist attraction. Below is the Castle from another view:
Many dark, creepy dungeons exist at Edinburgh Castle, where prisoners have been locked up and forgotten. Some of these cellars, you can still enter as a tourist with a tour group. One very deep, nasty prison-pit is concealed below the floor of King James’ birth chamber. No one knows who may have been thrown down there, or for how long prisoners were left.
