Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
expense and overruns. The abstract motif repeated on the facade facing the Canon-
gate was apparently inspired by Raeburn's painting
Rev. Walker Skating on a Dud-
dingston Loch,
which hangs in the National Gallery of Art. The public can visit for
free and get tickets to seats in the main debating chamber or take a guided tour,
which ventures into the bowels of Scottish political life. Guided tours are free, but
reserve in advance.
Holyrood Rd.
&
0131/348-5000.
www.scottish.parliament.uk. Tues-Thurs 9am-7pm (all year when
parliament is in session); Mon and Fri (and weekdays when Parliament not in session) 10am-6pm
(Nov-Mar 10am-4pm); 10am-4pm weekends and public holidays. Last admission 45 min. before clos-
ing. Closed on Dec 25-26 and Jan 1-2. Bus: 35 or 36.
Palace of Holyroodhouse
King James IV established this palace at the
beginning of the 16th century adjacent to an abbey that a distant predecessor, King
David I, had founded in 1128. What you see today was mostly built for Charles II
in the 1670s. The northwest tower is the oldest part of the palace still intact and this
wing provides the most interesting part of the tour inside. Here was the scene of
Holyroodhouse's most dramatic incident. Mary Stuart's closest courtier, David
Rizzio, was stabbed repeatedly (allegedly in front of the pregnant queen) on March
9, 1566 by accomplices of her jealous husband, Lord Darnley. There are several
diverting Stuart relics, curios, and bits of history in Mary's Outer Chamber. One of
the more curious exhibits is a piece of needlework done by Mary depicting a cat-and-
mouse scene. (Her cousin, Elizabeth I, is the cat.)
The palace suffered long periods of neglect, but it basked in brief glory during a
ball thrown by Bonnie Prince Charlie in the mid-18th century, during the peak of
his feverish (and doomed) rebellion to restore the Stuart line to monarchy. Today the
royal family stays here whenever they visit Edinburgh. When they're not in resi-
dence, the palace is open to visitors, and you see the various reception rooms where
the queen dines, entertains, and meets Scottish government leaders. Some of the
rich tapestries, paneling, massive fireplaces, and antiques from the 1700s are still in
place. In addition to daytime hours, visitors can book exclusive evening tours at £30
per person, where you get your own expert guide.
More recently, the modern
Queen's Gallery
(additional admission) opened to
display works from the royal collection, whether Mughal art or Dutch paintings. All
that remains of the original
Abbey
is the ruined nave: still, you can imagine its
grandeur and see a few tombstones, as well as the vault where the remains of King
James V were once kept. On the path behind the nave, remnants of the foundations
of other ecclesiastical buildings are apparent.
Behind Holyroodhouse is
Holyrood Park,
Edinburgh's largest. With rocky crags,
a loch, sweeping meadows, and the ruins of a chapel, it's a wee bit of the Scottish
countryside in the city, and a great place for a picnic. If you're fit and ambitious,
climb up to the summit of 250-m (823-ft) high
Arthur's Seat,
from which the
panorama is breathtaking. The name doesn't refer to King Arthur, as many people
assume, but perhaps is a reference to Prince Arthur of Strathclyde or a corruption
of
Ard Thor,
Gaelic for “height of Thor.”
Canongate, at the eastern end of the Royal Mile.
&
0131/556-5100.
www.royalcollection.org.uk.
Admission (includes audio tour) £10.25 adults, £9.30 seniors and students, £6.20 children 5-17, £27
families. MC, V. Apr-Oct daily 9:30am-6pm; Nov-Mar 9:30am-4:30pm. Closed when Royal Family in
residence, typically a few weeks from mid-May to late June, mid-July, and Christmas. Bus: 35, 36, or
open-top tours.
8
