No castle is complete without the hangings and trappings of royalty, and Stirling Castle is no exception. In fact, the tapestry hanging in the Queen’s Presence Chamber, a recreation of The Hunt of the Unicorn tapestries, took years to complete, and cost more than two million pounds. And that’s just a recreation!
After years of being forgotten, the royal residences (though they aren’t in use) have been restored to their original states. The castle is the headquarters of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. However, the sole surviving unit of the regiment, the Balaclava Company, has been garrisoned at Redford Barracks in Edinburgh since 2014.
Portugal's Prettiest Palace
The interior of the palace wasn't fully finished and furnished until 1910. Tour guests can now enter and take in the eye-popping vaulted ceilings and the incredibly detailed wall frescoes, stuccos, and painted walls.
Notable rooms include The Chapel, The Royal Dining Room, and The Noble Room. There is also the Kitchen – which is big enough to house all the cooks needed for such a structure, which may have seen hundreds and hundreds of guests for official functions. The interior serves as the summer residence of the family and is home to numerous royal collections.
Stirling Castle – Sterling, Scotland
Stirling Castle is said to be a “brooch” that holds Scotland together, situated right between the Highlands and the Lowlands. This ancient residence was once home to King James IV. The castle was also a symbol of Scotland's independence. During the numerous wars and conflicts between England and Scotland, the castle changed several hands and has been sieged at least eight times.
Sitting atop Castle Hill, an intrusive crag, its strong defensive position made it critical for any army who wanted to control the land. The most recent was only a few hundred years ago, in 1746. The castle is a Scheduled Ancient Monument managed by Historic Environment Scotland.
Matsumoto Castle – Matsumoto, Japan
Japanese Hirajiros are five- or six-tiered castles. There are only five of them in Japan. Matsumoto is the oldest example of these beautiful and iconic structures. It was constructed at the start of the sixteenth century. Nicknamed Crow Castle due to its black color, it dates back to the Sengoku period.
Known as a flatland castle (because it wasn't built on a hill or amid rivers), the full defensive capabilities include an extensive system of inter-connecting walls, moats, and gatehouses. Maintaining its original wooden interiors and external stonework, it is listed as a National Treasure of Japan.
A Simple Samurai Home
The castle was originally slated to be torn down in the late nineteenth century, following a sale of the site. An influential figure from Matsumoto, Ichikawa Ryozo, started a campaign to save the building, and the efforts were rewarded when the city government acquired the building for preservation.
The interior of the building is simple and sparse, as befitting the home of the warrior class, the samurai. After a 5.4 magnitude earthquake in 2011, ten large cracks appeared in the inside wall of the main tower. The second floor features a museum with a collection of guns, armor, and other weapons.