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The castle's roots go well back over a thousand years and many areas of it are open to the public. It is Scotland's most popular tourist attraction (1.2 million visitors annually), which, when you have seen the milling crowds, you won't doubt. It allows breathtaking views from inside and outside the castle. Entrance is via the Esplanade, a parade ground, in front of the castle. Here the hourly changing of the guard may be witnessed. A short walk away is the Mills Mount Battery where a single canon shot rings out every weekday at exactly 1pm. The castle contains a museum dedicated t displaying a history f Scottish regiments and St Margaret's Chapel - built in the Romanesque style which is the oldest building in Edinburgh- it was mostly left in tact as the castle was refurbished and modernized over the centuries. Visitors may take in the State apartments and the room where Mary Queen of Scots gave birth to James VI of Scotland (later James I of England). The so-called French prisons were used to house hundred of Napoleonic soldiers captured during the early 19th century. They are responsible for some ornate carvings that can still e seen today. For those who love trivia, you should know that Mons Meg may also be seen, she or it is actually a 15th century cannon weighing in at a massive 5 tons. It was last fired in 1681, when its barrel burst, as a birthday tribute to the future king James VII/II. |