EDINBURGH CASTLE

Standing on an ancient extinct volcano, Edinburgh Castle is the heart of Scotland's capital. It was built by David ^I in the ^12th century. It soon served as a political and military stronghold when Edward ^I, King of England, attempted to seize the vacant Scottish throne. Between 1296 and 1341, it passed from one side to the other and suffered considerable damage. It was largely rebuilt by David II, but underwent another siege in 1571, to crush the entrenched loyalists of Mary Queen of Scots. The hostilities became known as the Lang Siege and lasted two years. In 1650, the castle was again seized by the English when Cromwell's troops invaded. After the Restoration in 1660, it remained under the authority of London, which kept troops there permanently. The Jacobites tried to seize it in their first uprising in 1688, but failed. Their second revolution, led by Bonnie Prince Charlie, was no more effective, despite their capture of the town in 1745. They were driven out in November of the same year, and the colossus remained an English fortress from then on. As you enter the castle, two statues recall Scotland's tumultuous past: William Wallace and Robert the Bruce, the heroes of independence. Once through Portcullis Gate, past the ticket office, a sign on the right tells you when the next guided tour will take place. A guide is often already there, pointing this out to newcomers. Follow it - it's a good introduction, free and fairly short. To your right, the Argyle Battery cannons offer superb views of the city. A few steps away, the One O'clock Gun is a 105mm L118. First fired in 2001, it continues a tradition that dates back to 1861. Every day except Sunday, at 1 p.m., when the Nelson Monument sphere is lowered onto Calton Hill, a cannon is fired from the castle to announce the time to the sailors of Leith.

A little further on isthe National War Museum. It covers 400 years of martial history in a lively way, with numerous objects, weapons, uniforms, testimonials, images and films. On land, at sea and in the air, Scots have forged an identity for themselves as fighters the world over. The two world wars, of course, are extensively covered, as are more recent conflicts.

The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards Museum and Royal Scots Museum are located further up the Castle Rock. To reach them, you'll pass the Governor's House and the barracks of the Royal Regiment of Scotland, two army buildings still in use. Inside both museums, the history of these emblematic regiments is recounted, from their creation to the present day.

Continuing on to Crown Square, you'll pass several major monuments in quick succession. The military prisons were used extensively during the Napoleonic Wars and the American War of Independence. The tiny ^12th-century St. Margaret's Chapel is the oldest building in the castle, and certainly in Edinburgh. Behind it stands Mons Meg, a huge ^15th-century cannon built in Flanders. If you lean over the ramparts at the same level, you'll see a small, inaccessible dog cemetery. This is where soldiers buried their canine friends from 1840 onwards. Further on, Half-Moon Battery is a vast half-moon-shaped esplanade of cannons. Built in 1573, it replaced David's Tower (1368), destroyed during the Lang Siege.

Crown Square is the heart of the castle and its highest point. The Scottish National Memorial is a superb edifice paying vibrant tribute to Scotland's fallen soldiers. Directly opposite, the Great Hall boasts gigantic dimensions and a magnificent interior, measuring 29 m by 12.5 m. The star of the square is the Royal Palace. Built in the ^15th century and refurbished in the ^17th, this is the room where Mary Queen of Scots gave birth to James VI. Also on view are the Scottish Crown Jewels and the Stone of Scone.

The Stone of Scone weighs 152 kg and was used to crown Scottish kings before it was stolen by the English in 1296. It was then placed under the King Edward's Chair, on which each new English monarch sat. In December 1950, Glaswegian students decided to steal it from Westminster Abbey and take it back to Scotland. Removing it from the throne, they knocked it over and broke it in two. Fearing they're running out of time, they hide the larger piece in a field in Kent and the smaller in one of their cars, which they leave at a friend's house in the Midlands. When the authorities discover the theft, they close the Anglo-Scottish border for the first time in 400 years. Some time later, the young nationalists returned to collect their loot, and had the stone reassembled in Glasgow with a note on it, the contents of which remain unknown to this day. In April 1951, the police recovered the Stone of Scone at Arbroath Abbey (Angus) and nabbed the thieves, who confessed to their actions. They were not prosecuted for fear of political repercussions, and the relic was returned to Westminster. In November 1996, the British government decided to return it to its country of origin to satisfy growing demand, on condition that it be present in London for each coronation.