Evidence of former times..

Bagpipes. Kilts. Beautiful landscapes. Loch Ness. These are all associations that pop up in my mind when I think about Scotland. However, there is one more essential emblem usually associated with this beautiful land in the north of Great Britain: castles. And this is exactly what I am going to talk about in this post. When one types in the word “Scotland” in the google search machine you are most likely to find pictures of castles which shows to which extent Scotland is renowned for its iconic forts.

The first castles in Scotland were built around 11^th and 12^th century. However, they were not made of stone but of different materials such as wood. Stone castles began to emerge in the 13^th century.

There have been well over three thousand castles in Scotland, although many were destroyed and are nowadays only known through historical records. The Scottish Castle Association estimates that nowadays there are still about 1400 castles in Scotland.

It was King David I who laid the beginnings of feudalism in Scotland, and who triggered the construction of Scotland castles. He saw the value of building castles to maintain power over the lands he ruled.

Scotland castles were primarily used defensively - to hold power, and to protect communities against invaders. As a result, most castles were built in the areas most at risk from invasion - such as in Galloway, which marked the southern borders between England and Scotland.

Today, some of the Castles in the Scottish Highlands are still occupied whilst others offer historical tours.

There are way too many castles to mention them all so I selected two that a particularly well-known and impress by their history and appearance.

EILEAN DONAN CASTLE

Eilean Donan Castle is one of the most recognised castles in Scotland.

It is strategically located on its own little island, overlooking the Isle of Skye and surrounded by the majestic splendour of the forested mountains. Its setting is truly breath-taking.

The castle was established in the 13th century by Alexander II in an effort to help protect the area from Viking incursions. But in the 18^th century the castle was blown up by the British; and then Eilean Donan lay in silent ruin for almost hundred years.

The castle was reconstructed as a family home between 1912 and 1932 by Lt Col John MacRae-Gilstrap, and incorporated much of the ruins from the earlier destruction.

Visitors now have the opportunity to wander round most of the fabulous internal rooms of the castle viewing period furniture and displays of weapons and fine art.

STIRLING CASTLE

This castle is located in Stirling and lies atop a hill. It is surrounded on three sides by steep cliffs, giving it a strong defensive position. The first record of Stirling Castle dates from around 1110. There are two gardens within the castle which also attract many tourists. This castle was a favoured residence of the Stewart kings and queens who held grand celebrations there.

Of course Scotland exploits this cultural richness to attract tourists- Castle tours in Scotland are perhaps the most popular types of tourist activities in United Kingdom. On the following link you can find a document containing a castle trail which you can follow- providing a guide that offers you useful information about the castles. If you're interested, check it out here: http://static.visitscotland.com/pdf/browser/castletrail.pdf

See you soon, for another insight into this beautiful piece of earth, called Scotland! 

alerei