List of historic sites in Scotland facts for kids

Scotland is a country full of amazing history! Imagine stepping back in time to see ancient villages, mighty castles, and places where big battles happened. Scotland has thousands of historic sites and attractions that tell stories from long, long ago right up to more recent times.

You can explore very old sites like Neolithic standing stones and stone circles, which are huge rocks placed by people thousands of years ago. There are also settlements from the Bronze Age and Iron Age, including special round houses called Brochs and Crannogs built on lakes.

Later, you can find stones carved by the mysterious Picts, and forts built by the Romans when they came to Scotland. There are also places where Vikings settled, and many amazing Mediaeval castles. Scotland also played a big part in how the modern world developed, so you can visit many old factories and museums about its industrial past.

Here are some of the best-known historic places you can visit:

Ancient Sites and Monuments

Scotland is home to some of the oldest human-made structures in the world. These sites give us clues about how people lived thousands of years ago.

Neolithic Sites (Stone Age)

The Neolithic period was a time when people started farming and building permanent homes, around 4,000 to 2,500 BC. In Scotland, you can see amazing stone structures from this time.

• Callanish, Lewis: A famous group of standing stones, often called the "Stonehenge of the North."
• Corrimony, Glen Urquhart (Glenurquhart): A well-preserved stone circle and burial cairn.
• Croftmoraig, Perthshire: Another interesting stone circle that shows how ancient people used stones for ceremonies.
• Kilmartin Glen, Argyll: A valley packed with ancient monuments, including standing stones, stone circles, and burial cairns.
• Machrie Moor, Arran: Features several stone circles and burial mounds.
• Maeshowe, Orkney: A fantastic Stone Age tomb, famous for its clever design and Viking carvings inside.
• Ring of Brodgar, Orkney: A huge stone circle, part of a UNESCO World Heritage site.
• Skara Brae, Orkney: A incredibly well-preserved Stone Age village, showing what life was like 5,000 years ago.
• Standing Stones of Stenness, Orkney: Some of the earliest henge monuments in Britain.

Pictish Stones

The Picts were an ancient people who lived in Scotland from the late Iron Age to the early Middle Ages. They are famous for their unique carved stones.

Roman Sites

The Roman Empire tried to conquer Scotland (which they called Caledonia) but never fully succeeded. They built forts and walls to mark their northern border.

• Antonine Wall, Scottish Lowlands: A huge turf wall built by the Romans across Scotland, marking the northern frontier of their empire.
• Trimontium, Scottish Borders: A major Roman fort and camp, important for controlling the area.

Castles, Abbeys, and Historic Houses

Scotland is famous for its many castles, which tell stories of kings, queens, battles, and sieges. You can also visit beautiful old abbeys and grand historic houses.

Castles

Abbeys

Cathedrals

Historic Houses

Famous Monuments

Scotland has many monuments built to remember important people or events.

• Wallace Monument, Stirling: A tall tower honoring William Wallace, a Scottish hero who fought for independence.
• National Monument, Edinburgh: An unfinished monument on Calton Hill, inspired by the Parthenon in Athens.
• Nelson Monument, Edinburgh: Another monument on Calton Hill, dedicated to Admiral Lord Nelson.
• Scott Monument, Edinburgh: A huge Gothic monument in Edinburgh's Princes Street Gardens, honoring the writer Sir Walter Scott.

Historic Battlefields and Sites

Many important battles and events that shaped Scotland's history took place in specific locations.

• Stirling Bridge, 1297: Where William Wallace led the Scots to a famous victory over the English.
• Bannockburn 1314: A key battle where Robert the Bruce secured Scottish independence.
• Killiecrankie, 1689: A battle during the Jacobite Risings, where Highland clans fought for the Stuart kings.
• Glenfinnan, (Raising of Standard in 1745, see Jacobitism): The place where Bonnie Prince Charlie began the last Jacobite Rising.
• Culloden, 1746: The final, tragic battle of the Jacobite Risings, which changed Highland culture forever.

Museums

If you want to learn even more about Scotland's past, its many museums are great places to visit. They have amazing collections of artifacts and exhibits.

See also

• History of Scotland
• Tourism in Scotland