Edinburgh Castle: The Rock That Rewarded a Merchant’s Idea from Paris

A businessman named John Hewat brought the idea for the One O’Clock Gun to Edinburgh in 1861, having seen something similar in Paris. The gun was first fired from the Half Moon Battery on 7 June 1861, after two failed attempts, and it has fired at 1:00 pm every day since (except Sundays, Good Friday, and Christmas Day). Ships in the Firth of Forth once set their chronometers by it. Today visitors cluster near Mills Mount Battery to watch and hear a 105mm field gun fired by the District Gunner. It remains one of the more sharply British experiences in the United Kingdom: a cannon shot at a precise time for reasons that made complete logistical sense in 1861 and now persist as tradition.

The castle itself is older than the cannon by about 900 years and is the most visited paid attraction in Scotland.

What to See

St Margaret’s Chapel

The smallest building in the castle is also the oldest surviving structure in Edinburgh. David I of Scotland built it around 1130 and named it for his mother, Queen Margaret, who was canonised in 1250. When Robert the Bruce captured Edinburgh Castle in 1314 and ordered all the castle buildings demolished to prevent English reoccupation, he spared the chapel. It survived the Reformation being used as a gunpowder store for a period, which is considerably less respectful than the purpose it now serves: a working chapel for small weddings and christenings, open to all visitors. The interior is tiny (about 5 by 3 metres), Norman in style, and worth the brief detour.

The Honours of Scotland

The Scottish Crown Jewels, housed in the Crown Room at Crown Square, are the oldest surviving crown jewels in the British Isles. The Honours (crown, sceptre, and sword of state) predate the English Crown Jewels by more than a century, having been in use since the early 16th century. Also displayed here is the Stone of Destiny, the ancient coronation stone of Scottish kings that was taken to Westminster Abbey by Edward I of England in 1296 and returned to Scotland in 1996. It left Edinburgh temporarily in 2023 for the coronation of Charles III and returned. Queues for the Crown Room can be significant in peak season; arriving early and going straight to Crown Square rather than starting at the lower levels is the better approach.

The Great Hall

Built in the early 16th century, the Great Hall was the castle’s principal ceremonial space under James IV and V. Its hammer-beam roof (recently restored) is one of the finest surviving examples of its type in Scotland. The hall was later divided into floors and used variously as a military hospital and barracks before being restored to something approaching its original form in the late 19th century. Viewing it empty in the morning before crowds arrive gives a better sense of its scale than seeing it full of visitors at midday.

The Scottish National War Memorial

Converted from a 17th-century barracks into a memorial in 1927, the building commemorates Scottish soldiers who died in the First World War. Extensions cover subsequent conflicts through to the present day. The interior combines architecture, stained glass, and bronze panels in a way that is more affecting than comparable memorials in many cities, partly because the scale is human rather than monumental.

The Prisons of War

The vaulted basement levels of the castle held prisoners from the Seven Years’ War, American War of Independence, Napoleonic Wars, and other conflicts. Some prisoners carved ships, games, and decorative objects that are displayed in the exhibition. The graffiti they scratched into the walls is still visible and is one of the more unexpectedly moving elements of the castle visit.

Tickets and Booking

Adult tickets cost around £23.50 online (through Historic Environment Scotland’s website) versus approximately £26 at the gate. A family ticket (two adults and up to three children aged 5-15) is around £52 online. Booking online saves money and, more importantly, secures a 30-minute timed-entry slot. Once inside, you can stay until closing with no exit time.

In summer (July-August), timed-entry slots book up two to four weeks ahead. During the Edinburgh Festival in August, the castle is at its most crowded and slots sell out faster. From October through April, same-week booking is usually achievable.

The castle opens at 9:30 am daily. April to September closing is 6:00 pm with last admission at 5:00 pm. October to March it closes at 5:00 pm with last admission at 4:00 pm. Closed Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

Crowd Strategy

The most useful tip is structural: go to Crown Square first. Most visitors start at the lower levels when they enter and work their way up, meaning the Crown Room and the National War Memorial fill up through the morning. Going straight to the top on arrival lets you see the principal exhibits with fewer people around, then work back down through the gun batteries, Prisons of War, and the other lower-level areas as they fill behind you.

The 1:00 pm gun attracts a predictable crowd to Mills Mount Battery. Position yourself there at least 10 minutes before one o’clock if you want a clear view. The noise is substantial and worth experiencing; it is also clearly audible from anywhere on the castle esplanade if the Battery is too crowded.

August is Edinburgh’s festival month and the castle’s most crowded period. The weekday morning slots are substantially quieter than weekend afternoons. Avoiding August entirely gives a more comfortable visit; the castle is no less interesting in October.

The Castle Esplanade and the Military Tattoo

The wide esplanade in front of the castle gates is used each August for the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, a ticketed event featuring military bands, highland dancers, and performers from around the world against the backdrop of the floodlit castle. It runs nightly except Sundays for three weeks. Tickets sell out months in advance and are popular enough that some visitors plan Edinburgh trips around the Tattoo specifically. If your visit is not in August, the esplanade is simply a wide forecourt with good views back over the city.

Where to Eat Near the Castle

The Elephant House (21 George IV Bridge) is historically noted as one of the cafes where J.K. Rowling reportedly wrote early drafts of the Harry Potter books. It serves good coffee and light meals and has views over the Greyfriars Kirkyard. Expect queues in summer.

The Witchery by the Castle (Castlehill) is a short walk from the castle gate and serves Scottish food in a richly decorated interior of 16th-century style. It is expensive and theatrical; it suits a special dinner rather than a working lunch.

Deacon Brodie’s Tavern (435 Lawnmarket) on the Royal Mile is named after William Brodie, the 18th-century Edinburgh town councillor and cabinetmaker who was also a burglar, and is thought to have partly inspired Robert Louis Stevenson’s Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. Standard pub food with a good selection of Scottish beers; more affordable than the Witchery and more characterful than most Royal Mile alternatives.

Where to Stay

Hotel du Vin Edinburgh (11 Bristo Place) is in a converted Victorian lunatic asylum in the Southside and is within 15 minutes’ walk of the castle. Mid-to-high price range; the wine-focused bar is notably good.

Radisson Blu Royal Mile (High Street) is directly on the Royal Mile and close to the castle esplanade. More corporate in character but practically located for castle visits.

The Scotsman Hotel (20 North Bridge) occupies the former offices of The Scotsman newspaper, built in 1904. The lobby atrium and the rooftop bar are architectural points of interest separate from the hotel rooms. Positioned between the Old Town and Waverley Station.

Getting There

Edinburgh Waverley is the main railway station, served by trains from Glasgow (50 minutes), London (approximately 4.5 hours on the fastest service), and other UK cities. From Waverley, the castle is about 15 minutes on foot up through the Old Town or via the Royal Mile. The Lothian Bus network and the Edinburgh Trams run across the city; the nearest tram stop is at York Place. Taxis and Uber are widely available.

Driving to the castle is impractical; parking in the immediate area is extremely limited, and approaching on foot from a parking area in the New Town or via a bus from Waverley is significantly easier than attempting to drive to the esplanade.

The castle audio guide, included in the ticket price, is comprehensive enough to stand in for a guided tour for most visitors. The tours run by guides in period costume are an alternative for those who prefer a more performative approach to history.