The Famous Castle of Urquhart

The greatest castle of the Scottish Highlands stands before you. Within its ruined walls, you can discover stories of the remarkable people who lived here, learn more about some of the dramatic chapters in Scotland's history and share memorable views over Loch Ness with generations of visitors.

Highland Fortress Highlights
1. Grant Tower: home of the Grants, built on the original 14th-century donjon tower.

2. Gatehouse: the defences around the main entrance, deliberately destroyed by the garrison.

3. Great Hall: the centre of castle life, where banquets were held and justice was administered.

4. Water Gate: the entrance for everyone approaching Urquhart by boat from Loch Ness.

5. Citadel: the core of the first castle built on top of an ancient hill fort.

The People's Story
The residents of Urquhart left a remarkable collection of objects behind them. Many have been unearthed by archaeologists withing the ruins of the castle.

The artefacts of everyday life in a medieval fortress are on display in the visitor centre. We have used them to get a glimpse of the people who lived and worked here.

The Gaelic Story
Gaelic has been spoken here for more than 1,500 years. It was the tongue of kings and commoners throughout much of Scotland and has a rich tradition of poetry and song.

Although Gaelic has been in decline since the 1500's, it is still used and gained official recognition as a national language in 2005. We have used Gaelic to help tell Urquhart's story.

(Captions)
Right: An artist's impression of how Urquhart Castle may have looked in its heyday in the 1300's.

'The famous castel of Urquhart: of quhilk the rewinous wallis remains yet in gret admiratioun of pepill.'

Hector Boece, 1527

(quhilk; which; pepill: people)

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A Highland Icon
Urquhart the Defiant
The Trebuchet
A Castle for All Seasons
Doocot
The Stables
Ghosts of Urquhart's Past
Destroying the Gatehouse
The Gatehouse
The Water Gate

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