Key facts
- CountryScotland, United Kingdom
- Built12th century onward
- Famous forThe Honours of Scotland and the daily One O'Clock Gun
- AddressCastlehill, Edinburgh EH1 2NG, Scotland
- Official websiteOfficial website ↗
Edinburgh Castle stands on Castle Rock, the plug of a volcano extinct for 350 million years, with sheer cliffs on three sides. People have lived on the rock since the Iron Age, and a royal castle has crowned it since at least the reign of David I in the 12th century. Besieged, captured and rebuilt more often than almost any place in Britain, it has served in turn as a royal residence, a military garrison, a prison and a national symbol.
Inside its walls stand the Honours of Scotland — the oldest crown jewels in Britain — and the Stone of Destiny, on which Scottish monarchs were once enthroned. The tiny St Margaret's Chapel, built around 1130, is the oldest surviving building in Edinburgh. Every day but Sunday the One O'Clock Gun is fired from the ramparts, a tradition begun in 1861 so that ships in the Firth of Forth could set their clocks.
Opening hours
| Period | Hours |
|---|---|
| April – September | 09:30–18:00 |
| October – March | 09:30–17:00 |
Closed on 25 and 26 December; last entry one hour before closing.
Opening times change with the season and on public holidays. Always confirm the current hours on the castle's official website before visiting.
Good to know
The castle sits at the top of the Royal Mile and is managed by Historic Environment Scotland. It is one of Scotland's busiest attractions, so timed tickets booked in advance are recommended; the esplanade hosts the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo each August.