Panorama of Crown Square in Edinburgh Castle. The picture shows the main buildings that make up the castle's citadel.

Edinburgh Castle - Crown Square - Edinburgh visitor guide showing a virtual tour of 'Edinburgh Castle - Crown Square' linked to an interactive map with local and travel information. 360° panoramas from Lothian.

Crown Square forms the citadel at the top of Edinburgh Castle. Around the plaza are, clockwise from the north, the Scottish National War Memorial, the Royal Palace (which contains the Honours of Scotland, the Birthing Room and Laich Hall), the Great Hall and, on the western edge, the Queen Anne building containing a caffe, toilets and access to the Prisons of War exhibition. Access to the square is from the Half Moon Battery in the Upper Ward, under the bridge-passage connecting the Royal Palace with the Scottish National War Memorial.

Crown Square used to be called the 'Palace Yard' but the name changed after the Honours of Scotland were discovered in the Royal Palace in 1818. The square was created by King James III in the 15th century, with foundations built by erecting a series of vaults directly on Castle Rock in the 1430s. The vaults were used as prisons until 1811, as described in the Prisons of War exhibition.

Edinburgh Castle
Castlehill
Edinburgh
EH1 2NG

Bus: 24 to Lawnmarket.
Walk: Edinburgh Castle is at the western end of the Royal Mile, which leads down east to the Palace of Holyroodhouse and the Scottish Parliament. This is about 15 minutes walk from Waverley Station and the Tourist Information Centre.