Monuments to visit United Kingdom

Every Saturday, the handicraft market installs its stands. On the second and fourth Saturday of the month, it is joined by the food market. Go to Market Place.

Built on the foundations of a 13th century fortified house, this Edwardian castle with its four round towers and imposing battlements, built by Sir John Wogan, was occupied by the same family for over 700 years. Picton Castle is one of the most important historic houses in Wales. It is surrounded by sixteen hectares of magnificent wooded and flowered gardens with a beautiful collection of rhododendrons. For information, the castle can only be visited by guided tours. Possibility to visit the gardens (for a fee) every day, all year round.

To the north of the village, a 13th century medieval castle - now private property - built by the de Vale family, the descendants of a knight who had accompanied Martin de Tours, the invader from North Pembrokeshire. This castle was one of Henri Tudor's first captures with 4,000 men and 55 ships. Then Henri Tudor will head east, crossing Wales towards England. From there, on August 22nd, he defeated Richard III of England before being crowned king and becoming Henry VII.

A ^14th century tower, surrounded by a ^16th century wall. This tower-house is one of the oldest in Scotland. Robert the Bruce had visited it. Mary Stuart was invited there before being imprisoned in 1567, her host becoming her jailer, then freed by the son of her keeper. She miscarried there, was forced to abdicate in favor of her son James VI. Note the staircase built backwards for the keeper at the time, who was left-handed! Boats leave for the castle every day during the summer.

Lligwy Burial Chamber is a Bronze Age tomb, dominated by a massive stone estimated at 25 tons, on a small path leading out of the village.

A little further on is Din Lligwy, the ruins of an ancient village dating from the Roman Empire. The walls of the huts are still visible. In the field next door, Capel Lligwy is still standing: chapel from the first half of the 12th century. The tomb is not a visit in itself, there is not much to see but it is a very nice walk that awaits you, where you can discover these ruins.

It is the official residence of Her Majesty the Queen when she is in Scotland. At the exact opposite of the castle, at the bottom of the Royal Mile, she spends a week there at the beginning of each summer to conduct receptions and ceremonies in the capital. The site was occupied from 1128 by Holyrood Abbey, whose ruins can still be seen in the gardens. At the beginning of the 16th century, James IV and V built a palace there and definitively established political power in Edinburgh. The various conflicts of the second half of the century caused a lot of damage. Renovations began at the beginning of the 17th century, before Cromwell's troops ravaged a large part of the building in 1650. After the Restoration, a complete reconstruction of the palace is planned and the face it bears today is mainly given to it between 1671 and 1678, with a square plan of 70 meters on each side. After the 1707 Act of Union between Scotland and England, Holyrood lost his main functions. It was seized by the Jacobites in 1745 and Bonnie Prince Charlie courted it for a few weeks. From 1796 to 1803, the Count of Artois, the future Charles X of France, lived here in exile. The French royal family even returned from 1830 to 1832, after the July Revolution. At the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century, the interiors were partially restored and adapted to the comfort of the time.

State Apartments reflect the influences of successive monarchs. They are particularly famous for their decorated tapestries and ceilings. The highlight of the show is the superb Great Gallery, the largest room in the palace. There are 89 portraits of legendary and true kings of Scotland. They were painted by Jan de Wet between 1684 and 1686. You can also discover the dining room, the throne room and the various reception rooms used to date by the Queen on various occasions, such as the sumptuous Morning Drawing Room. The sumptuous furniture of Charles II's King's Bedchamber is impressive and the various antechambers are richly decorated.

Mary Queen of Scots' (Mary Stuart's) room is located in the northwest tower of the palace, just above the Darnley Rooms where her second husband, Henry Stuart (Lord Darnley) lived. Many intimate objects that belonged to him are kept there. In particular, there is a tragic portrait depicting the Queen in mourning costume, with a scene in the background depicting her execution at Fotheringhay Castle in 1587. The carved oak wood oratory where she isolated herself every day to pray is also there and the splendid Lennox Jewel, a heart-shaped pendant decorated with an emerald, is also remembered, which is said to have been made for Margaret Douglas, Mary Stuart's mother-in-law, to commemorate the deaths of her husband (Matthew Stuart) and her son (Henry Stuart). The latter was responsible for Holyrood's most famous drama: on March 9, 1566, he had Davide Rizzio, Mary's closest advisor, murdered. The crime took place in her room, right in front of her, while Henry himself held her while his men stabbed the unfortunate 56 times.

Holyrood Abbey is located in the gardens of the palace. It is the first building on the site, erected in 1128 by King David I. It would take its name from the Holy Cross, "rood" in ancient Scottish. Several coronations, weddings and funerals of members of the royal family took place there.

It is without doubt the most famous and mediatised of the Scottish castles. Absolutely everything makes an image of Épinal des Highlands: its location on an island, its small bridge, the loch and the mountains that surround it, its robustness both simple and noble, its medieval facade evocative of a rich history ... Its first walls were erected in the 13th century and it was then on the border of the Norse kingdom of the islands, giving it an important defensive position. It then became one of the strongholds of the MacKenzie clan and did not really have to suffer the wars of independence. However, the same cannot be said of the Jacobite uprisings, which put him to a severe test. In 1719, it was even occupied by the Spanish, who were then on the side of the insurgents against England. 46 soldiers were stationed there with 343 barrels of powder, waiting for reinforcements. London decided to take the lead and send three frigates to bomb it heavily. The English finally succeeded in capturing the fortress and used the powder to destroy it. On the basis of its ruins and original plans, Eilean Donan was rebuilt identically two centuries later, in 1932.

Since then, he has become a tourist and even movie star, with numerous appearances on the big screen, notably in the movie Highlander, where he is presented as the MacLeod headquarters (which was never actually the case), as well as in the James Bond movie Le Monde ne suffit pas, as the Scottish HQ of MI6.

Coming to London and not climbing The Shard is like going to Paris without visiting the Eiffel Tower. This extraordinary construction by Renzo Piano is the modern pride of Britain. The building is imposing and magnificent, and the sensation you get once you reach the top is a unique experience. It is the tallest building in Western Europe. When you take the elevator, look up and admire the beautiful images that flash before your eyes. Once at the top, you'll enjoy panoramic views for up to 40 miles around.

This sumptuous and surprising building in the center of Brighton was the brainchild of the eccentric prince and future king George IV. Originally a simple farmhouse, the building was bought by him to be transformed into a classical villa, where he hosted huge receptions. But it wasn't until he became regent that he thought bigger, and things took on their present scale. He commissioned architect John Nash to design a huge palace inspired by India, Asia being a fascination of the English Regency period. Work was carried out between 1815 and 1822, and today it remains the city's undeniable landmark alongside the pier on the waterfront.

Visitors will undoubtedly marvel at the overflowing imagination of the decorator and architect, who pushed fantasy to the limit. Inside, you'll feel like you're in a fairytale palace: columns, bamboo banisters, sea-serpent curtain rods, a gigantic fireplace topped with gilded palms, lacquered, sculpted, mother-of-pearl-encrusted furniture... The palms in the large kitchen match the dragons on the wallpaper in the music room, where Rossini played.

The Royal Pavilion tearoom, on the upper floor, is an eccentric and sophisticated café, with a sunny balcony on fine days overlooking the Royal Pavilion gardens. A must-see when in Brighton.

A museum in a bunker? Funny idea! Yet it is underground that the museum dedicated to Churchill, the English political figure who marked the history of his famous speeches, is located. At the very place where the British Prime Minister took refuge during the Blitz and announced: "This is the room from which I will lead the war." Nothing has been touched and you will find personal items and work tools as they were used by this great character. Churchill's little sentences have not lost any of their salt...

Few buildings are as central to Scottish history as this one. The earliest written records date back to the ^12th century, when King Alexander ^I had a chapel built here. It would appear that he made it the seat of his power, as it was here that he died before his successor, David ^I, consecrated the town as a royal burgh . By the time Alexander III died in 1286, it was a major administrative and strategic center. When Edward ^I of England invaded the country in 1296, he found the fortress abandoned and placed a garrison there, which was dislodged the following year by Andrew Moray and William Wallace. The following summer, the English victory at Falkirk forced the Independents to abandon the city, before taking it back in 1299. However, they lost it again in 1304, when the English deployed 17 siege engines. Their new monarch, Edward II, was unable to protect Stirling, which came under the authority of Robert, since crowned King of Scots, after the battle of Bannockburn in 1314. The city was English from 1236 to 1242, before falling into the hands of the future Robert II, guaranteeing its Scottish future. The country being finally pacified, the Stuarts built a real palace there and multiplied the works during the Renaissance. Mary Queen of Scots was crowned queen there before her departure for the French court. She made a habit of visiting it regularly and had her newborn son, James, the future sovereign of Scotland and England, baptized there and spent his childhood there. Following the Union of the two crowns in 1603, Stirling's role declined sharply and the castle became primarily a defensive place during the religious troubles. Today, a visit to the castle takes you back to this rich and eventful past.

To see: We discover the historic chapel, the impressive Great Hall, but also the royal palace. The apartments of the queen and the king are of great beauty. Do not miss the kitchens, the tapestry exhibition and the Regimental Museum of the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders. All brought to life by a costumed staff, as well as free guided tours every hour between 10am and 5pm.

Will you see the ghosts of the castle? It is said that ghosts would live here... One would be dressed as a Highlander, in a kilt, and that he could approach visitors to talk to them and would disappear immediately. In other versions, visitors would think of a guide, would approach him and he would vanish into thin air. One also speaks about a green lady..

The University of Glasgow is a little architectural marvel. Founded in 1451, it is the fourth oldest of the English-speaking countries and one of the best in the world. Originally located near the Cathedral in the city centre, it moved to its present premises in 1870. Its students often boast of studying at Hogwarts because of its distinctive style. If you don't want to take the guided tour, at least come and take a look at the buildings and courtyards. It also has some excellent museums, which contribute to the attractiveness of the area. They are named after William Hunter, a famous anatomist and leading local academic figure. Along the way: walk through Professor Square, visit the University Chapel with its superb stained glass windows, climb the Lion and Unicorn Staircase,stroll through the quadrangles (and discover the local tradition-superstition concerning its grounds) and, above all, don't miss the superb cloisters, emblematic of the building and seen in many films and series, including Outlander.

Hunterian Museum (University Avenue, Tuesday to Saturday 10am to 5pm, Sunday 11am to 4pm): studies geology and anatomy, with many rare minerals, fossils and specimens under glass. It also talks about different cultures around the world, from Roman Scotland to Glasgow medicine. He boasts 1.5 million items in his collection, including a sarcophagus with a mummified body, a diplodocus leg, and coconut fibre armour brought back from the South Pacific.

Hunterian Art Gallery (82 Hillhead Street, Tuesday to Saturday 10am to 5pm, Sunday 11am to 4pm): the artistic side of the previous attraction, this is where all art lovers will come to see works by Rembrandt, Rubens, Chardin, Whistler or Stubbs.

Mackintosh House (82 Hillhead Street, Tuesday to Saturday 10am to 5pm, Sunday 11am to 4pm): right next to the Hunterian Art Gallery, this house is a reconstruction of the house where Charles Rennie Mackintosh lived. Destroyed during an extension of the campus, it had not been designed by the architect himself, but allows one to immerse oneself in his daily life, reproduced identically.

Hunterian Zoology Museum (82 Hillhead Street, Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm): west of the Hunterian Museum on campus, this small zoology museum displays many taxidermy items, but also some living species, such as insects, lizards, snakes and invertebrates.

Home of Sir John Soane, the architect behind The Bank of England. A collector and art enthusiast, Soane amassed dozens of architectural pieces and small sculptures, which he installed throughout his house. Explore the new areas open to the public: catacombs, basement and hall. Overflowing with Egyptian, Roman, medieval and Renaissance curiosities, this museum is a little wonder. By reservation, one Friday a month, at dusk, this museum can be visited by candlelight. A magical atmosphere guaranteed!