Castle · Edinburgh, United Kingdom
Edinburgh Castle
Edinburgh Castle (Scottish Gaelic: Caisteal Dhùn Èideann) is a historic castle in Edinburgh, Scotland. Built 1200.
Photo: Daniel Kraft via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0. Cropped and resized for display.
Landmark facts
| Location | Edinburgh, United Kingdom |
|---|---|
| Type | Castle |
| Built | 1200 |
| Coordinates | 55.9486° N, 3.2008° W |
Every fact above is taken from the sources listed below; anything no source states is left blank rather than guessed.
What Edinburgh Castle is known for
Edinburgh Castle (Scottish Gaelic: Caisteal Dhùn Èideann) is a historic castle in Edinburgh, Scotland.
About Edinburgh Castle
Edinburgh Castle (Scottish Gaelic: Caisteal Dhùn Èideann) is a historic castle in Edinburgh, Scotland. It stands on Castle Rock, which has been occupied by humans since at least the Iron Age. There has been a royal castle on the rock since the reign of Malcolm III in the 11th century, and the castle continued to be a royal residence until 1633.
History
The castle stands upon the plug of an extinct volcano, which is estimated to have risen about 350 million years ago during the lower Carboniferous period. The Castle Rock is the remains of a volcanic pipe, which cut through the surrounding sedimentary rock before cooling to form very hard dolerite, a type of basalt. Subsequent glacial erosion was resisted by the dolerite, which protected the softer rock to the east, leaving a crag and tail formation.
Planning a visit? Visit the official Edinburgh Castle website — the official site has the current visiting information.
How to get there
| Nearest town | Edinburgh |
|---|---|
| Nearest airport | Edinburgh Airport (EDI) |
| Distance from the airport | 6.3 miles (straight line) |
Nearest major airport by straight-line distance from the landmark’s coordinates; road distance will be longer.
Airports near this landmark
The airports a visitor would actually fly into, nearest first — each link opens its profile on our sister site AirportProfiles.
- Edinburgh Airport (EDI) · Ingliston, Edinburgh, United Kingdom · 6.6 miles away
- Glasgow Airport (GLA) · Glasgow, United Kingdom · 48.0 miles away
- Glasgow Prestwick Airport (PIK) · Prestwick, South Ayrshire, United Kingdom · 61.8 miles away
Landmarks nearby
The closest landmarks in this library, by straight-line distance.
Where to stay nearby
Places to stay near Edinburgh Castle, with a link to each place's own site.
- The Balmoral · Princes Street, Edinburgh
Landmark hotel at the east end of Princes Street
- Waldorf Astoria Edinburgh – The Caledonian · Princes Street, Edinburgh
Grand hotel at the castle end of Princes Street
Where to eat nearby
Places to eat near Edinburgh Castle, with a link to each place's own site.
- The Witchery by the Castle · Castlehill, Edinburgh
Restaurant at the castle gates
- The Kitchin · Leith, Edinburgh
Michelin-starred restaurant in Leith
More landmarks in United Kingdom
More castles
Frequently asked questions
What is Edinburgh Castle?
Edinburgh Castle (Scottish Gaelic: Caisteal Dhùn Èideann) is a historic castle in Edinburgh, Scotland.
Where is Edinburgh Castle located?
Edinburgh Castle is in Edinburgh, United Kingdom. Its coordinates are 55.9486° N, 3.2008° W.
How do I get to Edinburgh Castle?
The nearest town is Edinburgh, and the nearest airport is Edinburgh Airport (EDI), about 6.3 miles away (straight line).
When was Edinburgh Castle built?
Edinburgh Castle was built 1200.
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edinburgh_Castle — Wikipedia article — overview, history and core facts (CC BY-SA).
- https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q212065 — Wikidata — built year, architect, height/size, visitors, official website (CC0).
- https://www.edinburghcastle.scot/ — Official website of the landmark / managing body.
- https://github.com/jbrooksuk/JSON-Airports — Nearest major airport computed from landmark and airport coordinates (haversine); airport list: jbrooksuk/JSON-Airports.
Page last updated 13 November 2026.