Edinburgh Castle: History, Tickets and Tips for Your Visit

What is Edinburgh Castle?

Edinburgh Castle is a fortress on top of Castle Rock, the plug of an ancient volcano that towers over the centre of Edinburgh. People have lived on the rock since at least the Iron Age, and there has been a royal castle here since the 1100s. Kings and queens lived in it until the early 1600s, and soldiers were stationed here until the 1920s. The army still has a small presence today.

It isn’t one building but a small walled town, climbing the rock in terraces from the gatehouse to the summit. Inside you’ll find a royal palace, a great hall, a chapel, military museums, prisons, the Scottish crown jewels and a lot of cannons. Most of what you see was built after the siege of 1573, when English guns flattened much of the older castle, but some of it is nine hundred years old.

Edinburgh Castle history in brief

Its position made the castle the key to Scotland, and everyone who wanted Scotland wanted it. Research in 2014 counted 26 sieges in its history.

Two of those stories connect with other pages on our site: Robert the Bruce, whose men took the castle in 1314, and Mary, Queen of Scots, whose son was born here.

What to see inside Edinburgh Castle

With two hours, these are the places we’d make sure you see, roughly in the order you’ll reach them as you climb.

1The Argyle Battery and the views

Just inside the gate, the line of cannons on the Argyle Battery looks north over the New Town to the Firth of Forth and the hills of Fife. It’s one of the best views in Edinburgh, and it’s free once you’re in.

2The One O’Clock Gun

Every day except Sunday, Good Friday and Christmas Day, a gun is fired from Mills Mount Battery at exactly 1pm, a tradition that dates back to 1861, when ships in the Firth of Forth used it to set their clocks. Get there by 12:45pm if you want a good spot.

3St Margaret’s Chapel

At the very top of the rock is a tiny stone chapel, built around 1130. It’s the oldest building in Edinburgh, and it survived when almost everything else on the rock was destroyed. Next to it stands Mons Meg, a huge siege gun made in Flanders in 1449 that could fire a stone ball about two miles.

4The Honours of Scotland and the Royal Palace

The Honours of Scotland are the crown, sceptre and sword of state, the oldest crown jewels in the British Isles. They were hidden from Cromwell’s army, then locked in a chest and forgotten until Sir Walter Scott found them in 1818. They’re in the Crown Room of the Royal Palace, where you’ll also find the small room where Mary, Queen of Scots gave birth to James VI.

One thing has changed recently. The Stone of Destiny, on which Scottish kings were crowned, was on display here from 1996, but in 2024 it moved to the new Perth Museum, close to Scone, where Scottish kings were once crowned on it. Older guidebooks may still say it’s at the castle. Read the whole story of the Stone of Destiny.

5The Great Hall

Built for James IV in the early 1500s, the Great Hall has its original hammerbeam roof and walls lined with weapons and armour. It was used for royal banquets and, later, as a barracks and a military hospital.

6The Scottish National War Memorial

Opened in 1927 in a former barracks, the memorial honours Scots who died in the First World War and in wars since. It’s a quiet, moving place, and many visitors say it’s the part they remember most.

7The Prisons of War and the museums

Deep under the Great Hall are the vaults where prisoners of war were held in the 1700s and 1800s, including sailors captured during the American War of Independence. Some of their carvings survive on the doors. The castle also houses the National War Museum and two regimental museums.

Edinburgh Castle tickets and opening times (2026)

Tickets are for a timed entry slot, and they often sell out in advance in summer. Once they’ve sold out online, there are none at the gate, so book on the official Edinburgh Castle website as soon as you know your dates. Historic Environment Scotland members get in free; the castle website explains how to reserve a slot.

• 1 April to 30 September: 9:30am to 6pm, last entry 5pm.
• 1 October to 31 March: 9:30am to 5pm, last entry 4pm.
• Christmas Eve: closes at 4pm. New Year’s Day: opens at 11am.
• Closed: 25 and 26 December.

Prices and times are from the castle’s own website in September 2026. Check it before you go, as they can change.

Tips for visiting Edinburgh Castle

• Go early or late. The first entry slots of the day are usually the calmest. Tour groups and cruise passengers tend to arrive mid-morning.
• Wear good shoes. The castle climbs steep, cobbled slopes, and the paths can be slippery in the rain.
• Plan around the gun. If you want to see the One O’Clock Gun, book a slot around noon.
• Don’t skip the view from outside. Some of the best views of the castle are from below it: Princes Street Gardens, the Grassmarket, the Vennel steps and Calton Hill.
• In August, allow extra time. The stands for the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo fill the esplanade in front of the castle, and the Old Town is very busy during the festivals.

How to get to Edinburgh Castle

The castle is at the top of the Royal Mile, in the Old Town. There’s no parking at the castle, so walking is the easiest way to get there.

• From Waverley station: about 10 to 15 minutes on foot, uphill, via the Mound or Cockburn Street.
• From Princes Street: climb through Princes Street Gardens and up the steps to Ramsay Garden.
• By bus or taxi: buses stop on the Mound, George IV Bridge and the Lawnmarket. Taxis can drop you near the esplanade.
• From our tour meeting point: the Jolly Botanist on Morrison Street is about 15 to 20 minutes’ walk away. See our Edinburgh departure information.

Planning more of your time in the city? Our Edinburgh guide and things to see on the Royal Mile will help.

Is Edinburgh Castle worth visiting?

For a first trip to Edinburgh, yes. The history is extraordinary, the views are the best in the city, and the crown jewels and the War Memorial are worth the ticket on their own. It is busy and it isn’t cheap, so book ahead and give it the time it deserves.

If you only have time or budget for one castle on your trip, Stirling Castle is a great alternative. It’s quieter, its Royal Palace has been restored to look as it did in the 1500s, and it tells the story of Wallace and Bruce, whose battles were fought below its walls. Our Stirling day tour from Edinburgh starts there.

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