30 September 2011
The approach to the castle is limited to foot traffic. The only vehicles permitted beyond the first gate, behind the camera, are official castle vehicles used to transport handicapped people.
There used to be seven gates that visitors had to pass through to get to the castle at the top.
Gate number three, coming up is the official portcullis. With the gate down and the 30 foot walls the castle was impregnable.
Note the lion rampant on the shield above the gate. It is the Herald of the kings and queens of Scotland.
A closeup of the portcullis entry.
Once past the portcullis one still has to walk uphill via a cobblestone road that winds around the mountain counter clockwise.
Still climbing, now the rooms of the castle can be seen. From a distance, the size of the castle is deceiving. Actually, the top of the mountain is approximately seven acres. Every square foot is either paved or part of a building. On the top of the building to the left is the Queen's dog cemetery.
The city of Edinburgh is divided into two sections: Old and New. This is a view of New Edinburgh which has been build 1800 and later.
The dog grave markers in yard in the near bottom are the top of the building in the previous picture.
A better view of the dog cemetery. Note the solar panel that powers the adjacent light.
Only one other dog cemetery exists in all of Scotland - at Fort George near Inverness. It was built in 1746 after the battle of Culloden to honor the dogs slain in that battle.
A shortcut from the top of the mountain down to the Portcullis level.
A different view of the staircase down to the portcullis gate.
The doorway in the center opens into a meeting or gathering room. The exterior walls are almost as thick as from the corner to the door. The room was approximately 15 by 30 feet with one small fireplace. Each window was approximately 1 foot wide by 3 feet tall. On each side of the window was a bench. At the end of the bench was a ceiling to floor curtain. The bench could be used for sitting or sleeping. When the sun came through the window, it would heat the cell and the curtain would retain the heat.
Saint Margaret's chapel from the 12th century.
Another view of the shortcut from the top of the mountain down to the Portcullis level.
A view of the city from a window at the top of the castle. The cannons in the foreground are at the portcullis level.
The park below the castle mount is "Prince's Street Gardens." Barely visible on the right, in the park, is a steeple like memorial to Robert Burns. The citizens of Edinburgh have nicknamed the monument the wedding cake
A better view of the Prince's Garden and the Wedding Cake
Looking at the castle from the Prince's Garden. One of the reasons that the monarchy chose Holyrood Palace as their official residence instead of the Castle was because of its isolation. In addition, it was exposed to all types of weather.
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