Tourist Attractions & Monuments Scotland

Founded in the ^13th century on an island in the Lake of Menteith, Inchmahome Priory is accessible by a small ferry from the village of Port of Menteith. The crossing is included in the ticket, which allows you to visit this historic site that saw the passage of King Robert the Bruce and Mary Queen of Scots. Now partially in ruins, it still retains a certain charm, thanks to its location and its stones carved in the chapter house. This haven of peace is worth taking the time to walk around and discover its secrets.

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.

Dating from the 13th century, this cathedral was seriously damaged in 1570 and was finally restored in 1835 at the instigation of the Countess of Sutherland. Nowadays, the most striking features are the numerous gargoyles and the square tower, which can be climbed during the summer. Legend has it that the gargoyles were evil spirits that were driven out of the cathedral by the ringing of the bells and turned into stones. The stained glass windows on the north side of the choir are also very interesting: they represent music, peace and literacy.

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.

To climb to the top of this small hill, it is best to approach it through Leith Walk and continue on to Royal Terrace and Regent Terrace. As you ascend, you will see old buildings such as the Royal High School and The Calton Jail, a prison that opened in 1817. The most interesting thing is to contemplate the city from its heights and then, eventually, to gain a little more altitude by climbing the tower of the Nelson Monument. Carlton Hill offers one of the most beautiful views of the city, with a panorama that sets the castle ablaze like the Fife of Forth.

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..

This museum is the most famous in the city, and probably the most fascinating in Scotland, along with the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh. Inaugurated in 1901, it was reopened in 2006 by Queen Elizabeth after three years of renovations. Its breathtaking Baroque style is just a foretaste of all it has to offer: inside, 22 thematic galleries contain 8,000 objects of Art and History. The central piece is undoubtedly The Christ of St. John of the Cross, painted by Salvador Dali in 1951, but we should also mention the section on Mackintosh and the local style, which features furniture and decorative elements from local designers. The panoply of medieval armour will delight young and old alike and some of them date from the 15th century. In the Dutch Gallery you will see paintings from the Dutch and Flemish schools, represented by Rembrandt and Gérard de Lairesse among others. In the French Gallery, one can contemplate impressionists such as Monet, Renoir and Pissarro, but also Van Gogh and Mary Cassatt. Two wings are dedicated to the Glasgow Boys and the Scottish Colourists. Temporary exhibitions are also often held there (most of the time for a fee). In recent years, attention has been focused on 19th century costumes, the emergence of Glasgow from 1714 to 1837, the contemporary artist Jack Vettriano, football in Scotland, Italian art, and the pharaohs. Good to know: free guided tours are offered every day.

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.

This is where Queen Mother Elizabeth grew up, making it the second home attached to this illustrious figure. She gave birth here to Princess Margaret, sister of Her Majesty Elizabeth II. Its L-shaped plan, beautiful pink stones and elegant turrets house some of the country's most stunning interiors. Guided tours (free of charge) depart regularly. They will give you the opportunity to hear about ghosts... Stroll through the pleasant gardens where several paths invite you to walk and have lunch in the castle kitchens.

The foundation stone for Glasgow Cathedral was laid in 1136 in the presence of King David I and the building that stands proudly above the city today was completed in 1197. Since then it has been a prominent place of worship and its roof has never been destroyed, which is rare for such old walls. It is dedicated to Saint Mungo, also known as Saint Kentigern, the first bishop of the ancient kingdom of Strathclyde, who is buried in the crypt. In Scotland, it is the best preserved religious building of the 12th century, which has not been altered by the Reformation or by conflicts.

On the hill next door is the Victorian necropolis of the city. It was established on 15 hectares in 1832, where 50,000 people were buried and some 3,500 monuments now stand. Some are of great beauty, and the Celtic crosses and statues are worth a visit. It is a rather poignant and mysterious place, which commands a beautiful panorama of the surroundings. Several monuments are worth seeing: John Knox Monument, an imposing monument overlooking the cemetery erected to pay homage to the man of faith, and The Bridge of Sights, described as "the separation between time and eternity", as well as a more discreet and recent monument erected in honour of William Wallace, marked with the famous quote: "I am Scotland's Guardian. Though my body has been broken, my spirit will rise again to the sound of freedom.

Here, we boast about taking its time in the manufacture of malt. Between Glasgow and Loch Lomond there are several types of visits, the shortest of which lasts 45 minutes and ends with a Glengoyne dram 12 years old. This distillery opened its doors in 1833 and has the particularity of producing a Highland whisky, which matured in the Lowlands, its production site being horse between the two regions.

Scone Palace. To sound local, pronounce it scoune palace. This place has immense importance in Scotland's royal heritage. 1500 years ago it was the capital of the Picts, when they ruled Scotland. It is a historic coronation place for the country's monarchs. Indeed, Macbeth, Robert the Bruce and Charles II are among the thirty-eight kings who have been crowned there. The ritual was to hold the ceremony on top of Moot Hill and the Stone of Scone, also known as the Stone of Destiny, which is now on display in Edinburgh Castle and has had a chequered history. A chapel now stands on the site where Kenneth MacAlpin became the first king of Scotland in 838, and a replica of the famous stone has been placed there.

Palace.

The original palace dates back to the 12th century, but was replaced in 1812 by the Georgian marvel we see today. Every room is a feast of luxury and pageantry, with valuable furniture, magnificent paintings and fine decorative art.

Gardens. The gardens are the playground of deer and highland cows. In the Pinetum, there are magnificent and rare specimens of giant sequoia and fir trees. This part of the garden is completed by the Douglas Pavilion, created in honour of the explorer and local boy David Douglas, plant hunter and discoverer of the Douglas pine, hence the name of the pavilion. It is also open free of charge in winter from Friday to Sunday.

Verdant Works is an industrial museum that recounts Dundee's commercial past in the Jute Canvas. In a former restored production site, the machines and interactive installations can be seen in a more concrete way. Raw materials are presented before their transformation and the overall overview of the process is very playful. The approach is also humane, with workers'testimonies, their aspirations and their working conditions. There are also temporary exhibitions all year round.

It was on board the gigantic three-masted ship named RRS Discovery that Captain Robert Falcon Scott went to discover the South Pole in 1901. The mastodon was built in Dundee and was then the first ship to be equipped with 1,800 horsepower in a triple-explosion engine to split the Antarctic ice. Now you can discover her and her crew's exciting adventure at Discovery Point, on the city's docks, and visit the ship from top to bottom. The museum area reveals all the secrets of this great human adventure.

It's Scotland's postcard par excellence: Urquhart Castle enjoys an absolutely breathtaking location on the banks of Loch Ness, scanning the horizon and the apparitions of Nessie. Its ruins that can be seen today date from the 13th to the 16th century. Abandoned in the 17th century, it was partly destroyed in 1692 to prevent it from falling into the hands of the Jacobites. Now only the romantic shadow of past greatness remains, but the panorama from the top of Grant Tower is grandiose. The Visitor Centre completes the tour.