Dominating the city from its volcanic rock, Edinburgh Castle is one of the oldest fortified places in Europe. This natural stronghold has been occupied for thousands of years, shifting its shape as it was adapted for new uses and against new threats. The castle has long been a royal residence and a focus for national pride - a place of strength where kings and queens could enjoy relative safety in turbulent times, and national treasures could be securely stored. It has been at the heart of Scotland's major events, fought over, held and recaptured time after time. In fact, it is the most besieged place in Great Britain, and remained in military use well into the past century. Over the years Edinburgh Castle has attracted countless visitors with an interest in Scotland's dramatic history. This book invites visitors to explore the castle and learn about its extraordinary history and discover some of its fascinating secrets.

The Neolithic village known as Skara Brae was continuously occupied for about 300 to 400 years, before being abandoned around 2500 BC. Despite severe coastal erosion, eight houses and a workshop have survived largely intact, with their stone furniture still in place. This is the best-preserved settlement of its period in northern Europe, and thousands of artefacts were discovered during excavations of the site. Who lived here? How did they live? And why did they ultimately abandon the village? In this lively account, Dr David Clarke, who led major excavations at Orkney's Skara Brae, describes the details of the site and explores some of the enigmas posed by this extraordinary survival.

The tiny island of Iona has been a vibrant centre of Christian worship since Columba arrived in AD 563. His monastery thrived for centuries, despite repeated Viking raids beginning in 795. Around 1200, the abbey and nunnery were founded, introducing new forms of worship and new buildings, while still welcoming pilgrims to St Columba's shrine. Even after the Protestant Reformation of 1560 brought an end to Scotland's monasteries, Iona served briefly as a Cathedral of the Isles. Restoration of the buildings began in 1899, and in 1938 the Iona Community was formed, revitalising the abbey's spiritual role. This unique site bears witness to a long history of religious practice that still flourishes today.

One of Scotland's finest late-medieval strongholds, Doune Castle stands high on a promontory between the River Teith and the Ardoch Burn in Perthshire. It is a testament to the power of one nobleman, Robert Stewart, Duke of Albany. He was known as Scotland's 'uncrowned king', and the castle was one of his main residences in the late 1300s. For a long time Albany has been credited with the complete construction of the castle, making Doune a remarkable example of a medieval fortress built as one man's vision. However, fresh research is casting new light on Doune Castle, suggesting a much more complex history dating back to the century before Albany and beyond.

The volcanic crag that dominates Stirling was probably fortified from ancient times, but the importance of Stirling Castle as a royal residence peaked in the 16th century. Around 1500, James IV added new buildings including the vast Great Hall. The elegant Chapel Royal was built by James VI in 1594. But the heart of Stirling Castle is the spectacular Palace, commissioned by James V in the 1530s. Its exuberant design drew on the fashions of the European Renaissance to express James's power and sophistication. Following a major programme of research, Historic Scotland has re-presented the Palace interiors as they might have looked when James V's grand scheme was completed. This book also includes a guide to Argyll's Lodging and Mar's Wark, grand residences occupied by major nobles near castle.

The chambered tomb of Maeshowe sits in one of the richest and best preserved Neolithic landscapes in Europe. This was a place of stone circles, villages and burial monuments; a place where people lived, worshipped and honoured their dead. The surviving evidence tells us that about 5,000 years ago, Orkney was a thriving focus whose influence was felt many miles away. Aside from Maeshowe, visitors can discover Neolithic houses at Skara Brae and Barnhouse, dramatic stone-circled henges such as the Stones of Stenness and the Ring of Brodgar, and the astonishing ceremonial centre at Ness of Brodgar, still being uncovered by archaeologists. The importance of the Heart of Neolithic Orkney was marked in 1999 when some of its key monuments were inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This book will help you to explore and understand the Site, and discover other related monuments in the area.

From its vantage point overlooking Loch Ness, Urquhart Castle dominated the region for centuries. The probable site of a Pictish hill-fort, it may have been the scene for St Columba's reported encounter with a Pictish chief in the 6th century. Around 1230, the Durward family was granted the lordship of Urquhart, and soon built the first castle. Over the next three centuries it was repeatedly remodelled, soon becoming a royal residence. But its strategic position meant it was frequently under attack. Both Edward I of England and Robert the Bruce ravaged it during the Wars of Independence; the MacDonald Islesmen were frequent raiders in the 1400s and 1500s; and the Jacobites laid siege during the Rising of 1689-90. It stands today as a gaunt but handsome ruin in the heart of the Highlands.