Tourist attractions Stirling

Given its situation on a steep rock overlooking the plains of the Forth, Stirling Castle was one of the most powerful and invincible castles in Scotland. A masterpiece of Renaissance decoration, Stirling, like the royal residences of Falkland and L..

This 19C monument is a familiar landmark standing guard over Abbey Craig (110 m). It commemorates William Wallace (1270-1305), the patriot who rallied the Scots against English domination from 1297-1305. The following he inspired in the 19C has recen..

Dunblane has been an ecclesiastical centre since Celtic times. The diocese created around 1150 by David I was proud of its cathedral, a fine example of 13C Gothic architecture. It was reworked in the 15C, neglected (but not pillaged) after the Reform..

This rotating boat lift is a world first. Since 2002 it has linked the Forth and Clyde Canal to the Union Canal, and has turned this stretch of waterway into a tourist attraction. From a distance it looks as though a giant can-opener has been dropped..

Built in stages on the site of an older church destroyed by fire, the oldest parts of this church (the nave and the lower part of the tower) date back to the first half of the 15C. The nave with its round pillars supporting broken arches still has th..

Distinctions won on the battlefield, flags, medals, peacetime and wartime uniforms, documents and photographs: an array of exhibits covering close to 200 years of the history of this regiment and its heroic moments such as the Battle of Balaclava (18..

This splendid private residence was built in 1632 by Sir William Alexander, the founder of Nova Scotia. When he died, the house passed to the Argyll family who altered and extended it. On the street side, this manor house with an inner courtyard is s..

This formidable castle overlooks Ardoch Burn and the Teith. It was built in the late 14C by Robert Stewart, Duke of Albany and his son, Murdoch, successively regents of the country during the captivity of James I in England. The outstanding feature o..

The site is spectacular: perched on a spur overlooking crevasses with rushing burns. Originally known as Castle Gloom, it stands out against the Ochil hills, dominating the valley and town. The estate came to the Campbell family via marriage; the c..

Ruined but nevertheless impressive, the façade is all that is left of a palace started but never completed in 1570 for John Erskine (1510-1572), the Regent and 1st Earl of Mar who, as Hereditary Keeper of the castle and guardian of Prince James, need..

Once the centre of burgh life, Broad Street, with its mercat cross was where the market - and executions - were held. The tolbooth designed by Sir William Bruce (1701-1704) is unusual in that the staircase spans the cells; the six-storey tower is..

Until recently occupied by the town hall, this E-shaped building was founded by John Cowane (c 1570-1633) to offer asylum to 12 local people. Built between 1633 and 1639, the premises include a refectory with a dormitory above. The benefactor, a Memb..

Founded in 1147 by David I, this Augustine monastery became one of the most prosperous and influential. Its abbots were mainly famous statesmen. The proximity of Stirling made it a royal protection, and the abbey was setting for several meetings of t..

An equestrian (1964) statue of Robert the Bruce (1274-1329), erected inside the rotunda, marks the king's command post on the eve of the Battle of Bannockburn where, on 24 June 1314, he routed the English troops. Bannockburn was a turning point i..

This 16C castle (turned into apartments) houses a heraldry exhibition in the remembrance room (public library), so named to remind us that Nova Scotia was originally a Scottish colony. Menstrie was the birthplace of the founder of the colony, Sir W..

Tigers, lions, zebras, deer, monkeys, giraffes and camels come and go in this wildlife park in the grounds of the private Blair Drummond castle. Visitors can go on a boat safari to Chimpanzee Island to enjoy a sea-lion show.

The peaceful aspect of the garden has been preserved. The Dean's House (1624) contains a museum devoted to the cathedral and the city. Note the exhibits relating to Bishop Leighton, the three Chisholm bishops and a fine collection of communion toke..

Ardoch Roman Fort, north of the village of Braco, was built during the very short period of Roman occupation, between AD 81 and 90. It was linked by road to another fort located north of Perth. The earthworks on two sides are impressive. Nearby are t..

This imposing building is now a mixed boarding school. Its construction was financed by a legacy from John McNabb (1732-1802), a local man who made a fortune as a London shipowner. In 1818, William Playfair drew the plans for this Grecian style build..