Historic Places in City of Edinburgh

Merchiston Castle in Edinburgh is a sixteenth-century tower house that was the birthplace and home of John Napier, the mathematician and theologian who invented logarithms in 1614, one of the most significant mathematical innovations in history. The tower house was built in the late fifteenth century and Napier was born here in 1550, spending much of his life at the castle where he carried out the mathematical work that produced his Mirifici Logarithmorum Canonis Descriptio, the publication that introduced logarithms to the world and transformed the practice of complex mathematical calculation. The castle is now incorporated into Napier University's Merchiston Campus in south Edinburgh, which takes its name from Napier himself. The tower is a well-preserved example of a late medieval Edinburgh tower house.

Edinburgh Castle is situated on Castle Rock and dominates the sky-line of the city of Edinburgh. The Castle stands upon the basalt plug of an extinct volcano and is protected to the south, west and north, by 80m high sheer cliffs. Most of the castle now standing was built after Lang Siege of the 16th century. Edinburgh Castle still has a military garrison largely for ceremonial purposes. The New Barrack Block is home to the official headquarters of the Royal Regiment of Scotland and 52 Infantry Brigade, as well as home to the regimental museum of the Royal Scots and Royal Scots Dragoon Guards. In front of the castle, is a long sloping forecourt known as the Esplanade, where the famous Edinburgh Military Tattoo takes place. Statues of Robert the Bruce and William Wallace flanking the entrance were added in 1929. The dry ditch and Drawbridge in front of the entrance date from the17th century. The castle has many features including Crown Square, the Royal Palace, The Crown Room, The Great Hall, Queen Anne Building. The Castle is now run and administered mainly by Historic Scotland. Historic Scotland have an educational centre in the castle which runs events for schools and educational groups. There are two restaurants in the castle and numerous historical displays. There are records of the castle dating from the 12th century when the bulk of the castle would have been a stone keep. During the First War of Scottish Independence. Edinburgh Castle came under English control in 1300. After the death of Edward I in 1307 England's control over Scotland weakened. In the spring of 1314,the Scots recaptured the castle. Robert the Bruce ordered the destruction of its defences to prevent occupation by the English. That same year Robert the Bruce and his army secured victory at the Battle of Bannockburn. During the Second War of Scottish Independence the castle to again come under English control. But in 1341, the Scots led by William Douglas again recaptured the castle. David's Tower was built in 1386 by Robert the Bruce's son, David II of Scotland. The tower was originally the main entrance to the castle. During the "Lang Siege" of 1573, David's Tower collapsed and much of the castle was destroyed when supporters of Mary Queen of Scots who were holding the castle were besieged by supporters of King James VI. The siege ended when heavy infantry bombarded the castle. The Half Moon Battery was completed in 1588 on the site of the old David's Tower after the Lang Siege, as part of the reconstruction works. Mary Queen of Scots gave birth to James (future King James VI) on 19 June 1566 at Edinburgh Castle. (Mary was forced to abdicate at Lochleven Castle the following year in favour James aged only 13 months).

The Palace of Holyroodhouse stands at the foot of the Royal Mile in Edinburgh, nestled beneath the dramatic crags of Arthur's Seat, and serves as the official residence of the British monarch in Scotland. It is a place of genuine historical depth and royal significance, the setting for some of the most dramatic episodes in Scottish history, and one of the most rewarding royal palaces in Britain to visit. The palace has its origins in an Augustinian abbey founded by King David I of Scotland in 1128. The abbey ruins that stand beside the palace today are all that remain of that original foundation after centuries of conflict and reformation. The royal lodgings associated with the abbey gradually developed into a proper palace from the fifteenth century onwards under successive Scottish monarchs of the House of Stuart, who found the location outside the confines of Edinburgh Castle more suited to courtly life. The most dramatic chapter in the palace's history belongs to Mary, Queen of Scots, who lived here during her brief reign in Scotland in the 1560s. It was in these rooms that her Italian secretary David Rizzio was stabbed repeatedly by a group of Protestant nobles in the presence of the pregnant queen in 1566, one of the most violent acts of court intrigue in Scottish history. The supper room where the murder took place is one of the most visited spaces in the palace, and a brass plaque in the floor marks the spot where Rizzio fell. Mary's private apartments are remarkably well preserved and provide an intimate connection to this turbulent period. The palace was significantly rebuilt and enlarged by King Charles II after the Restoration of the monarchy in 1660, and the State Apartments created during this period reflect the grand Baroque decorative style fashionable at the time. The Great Gallery, the longest room in the palace, contains 110 portraits of Scottish monarchs by the Dutch artist Jacob de Wet, commissioned to demonstrate the ancient lineage of the Stuart dynasty. The paintings are remarkable for their sheer ambition even if historical accuracy was clearly not always the primary concern. Today the palace is used by the monarch during the annual Royal Week in Scotland each June or July, when a programme of garden parties and investitures takes place. When the royal family is not in residence the State Apartments and Mary Queen of Scots' Tower are open to visitors. The ruined nave of Holyrood Abbey, which adjoins the palace, can also be explored and adds a powerful sense of medieval history to the site. The palace gardens include the dramatic volcanic landscape of Arthur's Seat and Holyrood Park, which provide extraordinary walking and views across Edinburgh.

Liberton Tower is a four-storey, square-plan tower house located in the Edinburgh suburb of Liberton, on the east side of the Braid Hills. Originally owned by the Dalmahoy family, it dates back to 1453, and was later sold to William Little, who was Provost of Edinburgh in 1586 and 1591. The tower was abandoned as a residence in 1610 and used for agricultural storage until the 1990s. It is well-preserved and used for holiday lets today. The tower is rectangular in plan, measuring 34 feet 9 inches along the east-west axis and 25 feet 9 inches along the north-south axis. It features distinctive yellow harling and has been described as "grim and ponderous." The tower's interior includes two large barrel vaulted sections and a ground floor level that was originally accessed through a hatch in the floor of the chamber above. The tower is a good example of a typical noble residence of its period, one of the relatively few that were not substantially altered in later centuries.

Craigmillar Castle on the southern outskirts of Edinburgh is one of the best-preserved and most historically significant medieval castles in Scotland, a substantial L-plan tower house and enclosure castle dating from the fourteenth century that was closely associated with the Scottish royal court for two centuries and is particularly connected with the tragic history of Mary Queen of Scots. Standing in a quiet setting of parkland that preserves something of the rural character it would have had during its years of active use, Craigmillar offers a more contemplative and less crowded experience of Scottish medieval architecture than the royal castles within the city itself. The castle developed in stages from the original tower of around 1400 through successive enclosures and ranges added over the following two centuries, creating a layered architectural complex that provides an excellent illustration of how Scottish castle design evolved from a single defensive tower toward a more complex and comfortable residence. The main tower remains standing to full height and the various courts and buildings of the expanded complex can be explored with considerable freedom, giving a strong impression of how a major Scottish aristocratic castle functioned as a working residence. The connection with Mary Queen of Scots gives Craigmillar its most historically charged associations. Mary retreated to the castle in late 1566 following the traumatic murder of her Italian secretary David Rizzio at Holyrood, and it was here that the Conference of Craigmillar took place, at which the terms of addressing the problem of her difficult husband Lord Darnley were discussed among her principal advisers. Whether the agreement reached here extended to planning Darnley's murder three months later at Kirk o' Field has been debated by historians ever since without resolution. The castle is managed by Historic Environment Scotland and provides views from its upper levels over the city and toward the Firth of Forth.

Dundas Castle lies 8 miles out of Edinburgh, Scotland. Dundas Castle is a magnificent event venue built around the original Auld Keep, constructed in 1416. The main house is of more recent origin, being built in 1818. Dundas Castle can cater for events of up to 180 guests. Adjacent to the castle on the east lawn is a large pavilion Facilities The castle can be rented out for private functions such as dinners, meetings, conferences, golf holidays, weddings, and receptions. It is hired out exclusively to one group at a time (it is a Five Star Exclusive Use venue). The Boathouse, a private cottage on the shores of a private loch, can also be rented. In 1416, James Dundas was granted a license to build a keep from the Duke of Albany, who was Scotland's effective ruler at the time. Dundas Castle was built in the same year for the purpose of being a home during times of peace and a fortress in war. An extension to the castle was permitted in 1436, which is why the building is not square. Oliver Cromwell stayed at Dundas Castle, and a statue of him is situated just outside the Keep. In 1818, the 17th Century building was torn down and replaced by Henry Dundas. However, the reconstruction ended up costing so much that the castle and its estate had to be sold in 1846, and changed hands again in 1899. It has stayed in the Stewart-Clark family since then. The real restoration of the castle began in 1995, as the Keep had not been lived in for over 300 years. It is currently owned by, and home to, Sir Jack and Lady Lydia Stewart-Clark. The Arts Dundas Castle has appeared in the background of the films The Little Vampire, Summer Solstice, and Book of Blood. It has also appeared in Arnold Clark advertisements.

Lauriston Castle is a 16th century tower house overlooking the Firth of Forth, in Edinburgh, Scotland. Lauriston Castle was originally a four-storey L plan tower house, with a circular stair tower. The tower had two storey angle turrets with gun loops. The castle gardens includes a Japanese garden opened in 2002. The castle has views of the river Forth. The original tower house was built around 1590 by Sir Archibald Napier of Merchiston, the father of John Napier, the inventor of logarithms. In 1827 the castle was extended in the Jacobean style by William Burn with the addition of a range converting it to a country manor.. William Reid acquired Lauriston Castle in 1902 and he and his wife Margaret added a collection of fine furniture and artwork. The Reids left their home to Scotland and The City of Edinburgh has administered the house since 1926.