Stirling Castle southwest aspect from the King's Knot Parterre below the castle crags.

For ships named after the castle, see Stirling Castle (disambiguation)

Stirling Castle is a castle in Stirling, one of the largest and most important, both historically and architecturally, in Scotland and indeed Western Europe. The Castle sits atop the Castle Hill, a volcanic crag, and is surrounded on three sides by steep cliffs, making it easily defensible. This fact, and its strategic position, have made it an important fortification from the earliest times. The Castle is a national monument, and is managed by Historic Scotland. A photograph of Stirling Castle, in Stirling, Scotland. ... A photograph of Stirling Castle, in Stirling, Scotland. ... A parterre is a formal garden construction on a level surface consisting of planting beds, edged in stone or tightly clipped hedging and gravel paths arranged to form a pleasing pattern. ... Stirling Castle may refer to: Stirling Castle, a castle in Stirling, Scotland. ... For other uses, see Castle (disambiguation). ... Broad Street at the heart of Stirlings Old Town area (called Top of the Town by locals) Stirling Castle (Southwest aspect) The main courtyard inside Stirling Castle. ... This article is about the country. ... The Abbey Craig, a crag with tail near The University of Stirling. ... Historic Scotland is the Scottish agency looking after historic monuments. ...

From 1800 until 1964 the Castle was owned by the British Army and run as a barracks. Many alterations were made to the Great Hall - which became an accommodation block, the Chapel Royal - which became a lecture theatre and dining hall, the King's Old Building - which became an infirmary, and the Royal Palace - which became the Officer's Mess. Efforts to restore all these buildings to their original state are still ongoing. A number of new buildings were also constructed, including the prison and powder magazine at the Nether Bailey in 1810. It remains the headquarters of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, although the regiment is no longer garrisoned there. The regimental museum is also located within the castle. The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders was an infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the Scottish Division. ... The Louvre Museum in Paris, one of the largest and most famous museums in the world. ...

Most of the principal buildings of the Castle date from the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. A few structures of the fourteenth century remain, while the outer defences fronting the town date from the early eighteenth century. In the 13th Century Edward I's Scottish campaign included a siege on Stirling Castle. Historians recorded that this was where Warwolf, the largest trebuchet believed built, was first used, with devastating effect. [1] [2] (12th century - 13th century - 14th century - other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 13th century was that century which lasted from 1201 to 1300. ... Edward I (17 June 1239 – 7 July 1307), popularly known as Longshanks[1], also as Edward the Lawgiver because of his legal reforms, and as Hammer of the Scots,[2] achieved fame as the monarch who conquered Wales and who tried to do the same to Scotland. ... This article is about the country. ... Model of Warwolf in front of Caerlaverock Castle The Warwolf, or War Wolf or Ludgar, is believed to be the largest Trebuchet ever made. ... For the typeface, see Trebuchet MS. Trebuchet at Château des Baux, France. ...

The gatehouse providing entry from the outer defences to the Castle proper was erected by King James IV and originally formed part of a splendid fore-front extending across the whole width of the Rock. At either end of this were massive rectangular blockhouses, and in the centre, flanking the gateway, were four great “rounds” with conical roofs. Of this superb composition there remains the southern blockhouse or Prince's Tower (now attached to the later Palace), the adjoining length of curtain wall, the gateway and lower portion of the inner rounds, and vestiges of the outer rounds and northern blockhouse. James IV (March 17, 1473 - September 9, 1513) was king of Scotland from 1488 to 1513. ... A 19th-century-era block house in Fort York, Toronto In military science, a blockhouse is a small, isolated fort in the form of a single building. ...

During the Civil War the Castles garrison, who were flying the Kings colours fired on the Marquis of Argyll when he made his escape from the Battle of Stirling (1648). Combatants Scottish Parliment & the Earl of Lanerick Rebel Forces of the Marquis of Argyll Commanders Sir George Munro MacKenzie Strength unknown around 1000 soldiers Casualties unknown 200 dead & 400 captured. ...

To the left of the gatehouse, and forming the south side of the principal or upper court, is the Palace block. This was begun by King James IV, but is mainly the work of King James V. With its combination of renaissance and late gothic detail, it is one of the most architecturally impressive buildings in Scotland, covered with fine stonework. The ceiling of the King’s Presence Chamber was originally decorated with the famous portrait roundels known as The Stirling Heads, but these were taken down in 1777. Many of them are preserved in the Castle, some in the Smith Institute, Stirling, and others in the National Museum of Antiquities, Edinburgh. There are plans to eventually re-instate the ceiling as close to its original form as possible. James IV (March 17, 1473-September 9, 1513) was King of Scots from 1488 to his death. ... James V (April 10, 1512 – December 14, 1542) was king of Scotland (September 9, 1513 – December 14, 1542). ... Tempietto di San Pietro in Montorio, Rome, 1502, by Bramante. ... Interior of Cologne Cathedral Interior of San Zanipolo, Venice, photo Giovanni dallOrto. ... Year 1777 (MDCCLXXVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Sunday of the 11-day slower Julian calendar). ... For other uses, see Edinburgh (disambiguation). ...

On the east side of the upper court is the Great Hall built by James IV, recently restored to its original appearance after many decades' use as a barracks. It is 125 feet long and 36 feet wide, with two magnificent oriel windows flanking the dais at the southern end. The small building on its cast side is the old Mint or Cunzie (ie. 'coining') Hoose. The renaissance Chapel Royal on the north side of the upper court was built by King James VI in 1594 for the state christening of his son and heir Prince Henry, on the site of the medieval Chapel Royal. James IV (March 17, 1473 - September 9, 1513) was king of Scotland from 1488 to 1513. ... A foot (plural: feet or foot;[1] symbol or abbreviation: ft or, sometimes, ′ – a prime) is a unit of length, in a number of different systems, including English units, Imperial units, and United States customary units. ... Oriel windows are a form of bay window commonly found in Gothic revival architecture, which jut out from the main wall of the building but do not reach to the ground. ... James VI and I King of England, Scotland and Ireland James VI of Scotland and I of England (Charles James) (19 June 1566–27 March 1625) was a King who ruled over England, Scotland and Ireland, and was the first Sovereign to reign in the three realms simultaneously. ... Events February 27 - Henry IV is crowned King of France at Rheims. ...

The image of the castle appears on the reverse of a Clydesdale Bank £20 note. The Clydesdale Bank PLC (Scottish Gaelic: ) is a commercial bank in the United Kingdom, a subsidiary of the nab Group. ...

The Castle esplanade (parade ground) has been used as an open-air concert venue for several noted acts, who use the Castle and the surrounding scenery to film "in concert" DVDs. Recent acts include R.E.M., Ocean Colour Scene, Bob Dylan, Wet Wet Wet, and Runrig. The esplanade also hosts the city's hogmanay celebrations. R.E.M. is an American rock band formed in Athens, Georgia in 1980 by Bill Berry (drums), Peter Buck (guitar), Mike Mills (bass guitar), and Michael Stipe (vocals). ... Ocean Colour Scene (often abbreviated to OCS) are an English rock band from Birmingham. ... This article is about the recording artist. ... Wet Wet Wet are a successful Scottish pop band of the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s. ... Runrig playing live link title Runrig are a Scottish folk rock band founded by brothers Rory and Calum MacDonald and their friend Blair Douglas in 1973 in the rural Western Isles of Scotland. ... Hogmanay (pronounced — with the main stress on the last syllable - hog-muh-NAY) is the Scots word for the last day of the year and is synonymous with the celebration of the New Year (Gregorian calendar) in the Scottish manner. ...

Main events in the Castle's history:

• Sieges of Stirling Castle
• Coronation of Mary Queen of Scots (1543)

There have been at least chippermunkey sieges of Stirling Castle. ... Mary I (popularly known as Mary, Queen of Scots: French: ); (December 8, 1542 – February 8, 1587) was Queen of Scots (the monarch of the Kingdom of Scotland) from December 14, 1542, to July 24, 1567. ... // Events February 21 - Battle of Wayna Daga - A combined army of Ethiopian and Portuguese troops defeat the armies of Adal led by Ahmed Gragn. ...

Gallery

The Great Hall Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2592x1944, 2035 KB) the great hall in Stirling Castle Copyright © 2005 David Monniaux File links The following pages link to this file: Stirling Castle ...	Great Hall interior, facing South. Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 450 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1920 × 2560 pixel, file size: 1. ...	Great Hall interior, facing North. Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 450 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1920 × 2560 pixel, file size: 992 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Photo taken by self of Great Hall interior, facing North. ...	Great Hall wall hanging with James IV's arms Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 566 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (1797 × 1902 pixel, file size: 600 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Photo taken by self showing detail of an embroidered wall hanging in the Great Hall of Stirling Castle displaying the Royal coat of arms of... James IV (March 17, 1473-September 9, 1513) was King of Scots from 1488 to his death. ... The Royal Coat of Arms of Scotland, as used before 1603 The Royal Coat of Arms of Scotland was the official coat of arms of the monarchs of Scotland, and were used as the official coat of arms of the Kingdom of Scotland until the Union of the Crowns in...
The castle's outer fortifications, looking northward Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2592x1944, 2168 KB) The outer bailey and castle walls of Stirling Castle in Stirling, Scotland, seen from the inner bailey. ...	Cannon Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2592x1944, 2284 KB) a gun at Stirling Castle Copyright © 2005 David Monniaux File links The following pages link to this file: Stirling Castle ...	Castle gardens Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1944x2592, 2323 KB) Stirling Castle Copyright © 2005 David Monniaux File links The following pages link to this file: Stirling Castle ...	Stirling Castle at night Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1000x474, 71 KB) Stirling Castle in Stirling, Scotland. ...

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Stirling Castle

• Stirling Castle - site information from Historic Scotland
• More information at Undiscovered Scotland
• The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders
• A soldiers view of The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders
• Clan Stirling Online! - Early Images of Stirling Castle
• Video view of Stirling Castle on ScotlandonTV

Coordinates: 56°07′29″N, 3°56′42″W Image File history File links Commons-logo. ... Map of Earth showing lines of latitude (horizontally) and longitude (vertically), Eckert VI projection; large version (pdf, 1. ...