Intresting places in Edinburgh

Intresting places in Edinburgh

Edinburgh Castle

Edinburgh Castle is a fortress which dominates the skyline of the city of Edinburgh, Scotland, from its position atop the volcanic Castle Rock. Human habitation of the site is dated back as far as the 9th century BC, although the nature of early settlement is unclear. There has been a royal castle here since at least the reign of David I in the 12th century, and the site continued to be a royal residence until the Union of the Crowns in 1603. From the 15th century the castle's residential role declined, and by the 17th century its principal role was as a military base with a large garrison. Its importance as a historic monument was recognised from the 19th century, and various restoration programmes have been carried out since. As one of the most important fortresses in the Kingdom of Scotland, Edinburgh Castle was involved in many historical conflicts, from the Wars of Scottish Independence in the 14th century, up to the Jacobite Rising of 1745, and has been besieged, both successfully and unsuccessfully, on several occasions.Few of the present buildings pre-date the Lang Siege of the 16th century, when the medieval fortifications were largely destroyed by artillery bombardment. The most notable exceptions are St Margaret's Chapel, the oldest surviving building in Edinburgh, which dates from the early 12th century, [2] the Royal Palace, and the early-16th-century Great Hall. The castle also houses the Honours of Scotland, the Scottish National War Memorial, and the National War Museum of Scotland.Edinburgh Castle is formally owned by the Scottish Ministers and most of the site is in the care of Historic Scotland.[3] It is Scotland's most-visited paid tourist attraction, with over 1.3 million visitors in 2011.[4] The British Army are responsible for some parts of the castle, although their presence is largely ceremonial and administrative, including a number of regimental museums. As the backdrop to the annual Edinburgh Military Tattoo it has become a recognisable symbol of Edinburgh and of Scotland.

Camera Obscura

Enjoy the fascinating Camera Obscura Show, fantastic views of Edinburgh, and five floors packed full of an amazing range of optical experiences which have been amusing visitors of all ages and nationalities since 1853! You must visit Camera Obscura.

St. Giles Cathedral

St. Giles Cathedral is one of the most important architectural landmarks along the Royal Mile in Edinburgh. The church where John Knox preached the Reformation, St. Giles' is the mother church of the Church of Scotland and informally of world Presbyterianism.