City of Stirling

Stirling Castle is a great symbol of Scottish independence and a source of enduring national pride. The castle’s long, turbulent history is associated with great figures from Scotland’s past, such as William Wallace, Robert the Bruce and Mary Queen of Scots.

See the 21 gun salute at Stirling Castle to celebrate the Queen's Birthday.

Stirling Castle is one of Scotland’s great days out – it was created by kings and queens as a great royal residence. But at times of war it was also a formidable fortress.

From the Chapel Royal and the Great Kitchens, to Argyll’s Lodging and the Tapestry Studio, there is plenty for all the family to enjoy.

The Great Hall

The largest banqueting hall in Scotland – this is the place where kings, queens and nobles gathered to enjoy huge feasts and great celebrations. It was built in 1503 by James IV as part of a huge refurbishment of the castle designed to impress his new bride – Margaret Tudor, daughter of England’s Henry VII.

Nowadays it is still full of majesty, with its magnificent hammer-beam roof and high oriel windows that shine sunlight onto the dais where the king and queen once sat. After being used as a soldiers’ barracks in the 19th century, the Great Hall was restored to its 16th century glory in a major project that was completed in 1999.

Visitors can get a sense of the scale of the events which took place there, like the 1594 celebrations for the baptism of Prince Henry, when musicians played in upstairs galleries while a huge model ship full of fish was dragged through the hall.

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