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Inverness Castle

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Inverness Castle is in the centre of Inverness in the Scottish Highlands, next to Inverness Museum & Art Gallery.

The Castle seen today was built from the 1830s, on the site of earlier Royal Castles dating back to 1057.

The Castle is being transformed into a Visitor Centre with Bars and Restaurants due to open in 2025.

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History

500s - Inverness was a stronghold of the Picts, with the Picts being early rulers of much of northern Scotland.

1057 - the first Castle on this spot in Inverness was built by King Malcolm III Canmore of Scotland, with his decendants uniting and ruling all of Scotland, building many large Royal Castles and huge Abbeys.

1296 - the First War of Scottish Independance began after the English tried to take control of Scotland.

1303 - Inverness Castle was taken by the forces of King Edward I / Longshanks of England.

1307 - King Robert the Bruce of Scotland captured and partially destroyed the Castle to stop the English from using it again.

1428 - King James I of Scotland summoned 50 Highland Clan Chiefs to Inverness Castle to try and put an end to them rebelling against him.

King James then had the Clan Chiefs arrested and imprisoned, with some executed.

1548 - a 2nd Castle was built on this spot by George Gordon, 4th Earl of Huntly, a Commander in the Scottish Army who was the Constable of the Castle.

1562 - George Gordon denied Mary Queen of Scots entry to the Castle, leading to Clan Munro and Clan Fraser taking the Castle for the Queen, executing George Gordon at the time.

1567 - Mary Queen of Scots / Stuart was overthrown by Scottish Nobles after being accused of murdering her husband, leading to her infant son James I becomming King.

1714 - Queen Anne Stuart died leading to her German cousin George I becomming king of Great Britain, leading to the Jacobite Risings to try and have a Stuart returned to the throne.

1715 - Inverness Castle was captured by the Jacobites during the first Jacobite Rising.

1746 - the Jacobites destroyed Inverness Castle after their defeat at the Battle of Culloden.

1830s - the Old Castle remains were demolished so the current Castle could be built to designs of the architect William Burn.

The Castle was then used as the Sherrif Court and Prison. The grounds were open to the public with a Tower used for a short time for views over Inverness.

2020 - the Court was moved from the Castle to the Inverness Justice Centre.

2021 - Inverness Castle was closed while work was carried out to turn the Castle into a visitor atrraction with a museum, bar and restaurant.

2025 - Inverness Castle is expected to open to the public as a top attraction in the Highlands of Scotland.

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