Читать книгу Edinburgh – Sights and Secrets - Andrea Weil - Страница 6

holyroodhouse – the queen’s official residence

text and photo michaela schneider

Holyroodhouse is more than an imposing historical site. Rebuilt in neoclassical style, the palace is one of the official residences of the royal family today. An audio guide is available in several languages to give visitors much of the historical background, but you will also hear voices from the past, like the ancient castle stewards, conveying their first-hand knowledge of the place. Visitors are welcomed by Prince Charles’s voice.

Following the traditional route of procession, visitors discover each room more magnificent than the last. You pass heavy Gobelin tapestries, richly ornamented stucco ceilings, and elegant Victorian furnishings until reaching the jewel of the route, the King’s Bed Chamber, a room where once only the most privileged guests were permitted.

A narrow spiral staircase leads to the oldest part of the castle. Here Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots, was forced to watch the assassination of her secretary and close confidant David Rizzio - a thrilling story of jealousy, conspiracy and political intrigue.

The tour finishes at the forbidding yet enchanting ruins of Holyrood Abbey, the place that inspired Felix Mendelssohn’s Scottish Symphony. In summertime, visitors can also walk through the Royal Gardens.

Tip: The Queen’s Gallery next to Holyroodhouse hosts a changing programme of exhibitions from the Royal Collection.

Palace of Holyroodhouse, Canongate, The Royal Mile, Edinburgh EH8 8DX.

£11. Audio guide and guided tours for free.

Nov - Mar 9.30am - 4.30pm. Apr - Oct 9.30am - 6pm.

www.royalcollection.org.uk