Edinburgh Castle

Towering over the city, Edinburgh Castle is situated atop Castle Rock. Measuring 400 feet above sea level, the Rock is actually a basalt plug from an extinct volcano. An example of a crag, the Rock presents sheer cliffs on three sides and made for the ideal fortress location. Throughout Scotland, castles and other fortifications were frequently placed on crags to enhance their defensive capabilities. Stirling Castle is typical of this type of strategic placement. To the north, below the Castle Rock, Edinburgh Castle was further protected by the Nor' Loch. Initially a marsh, it was turned into a lake in the 15th century. As the Edinburgh grew in the 16th and 17th centuries, the Nor' Loch quickly became polluted as the city's sewage and waste all flowed into its waters. In 1759, with Scotland peaceful, the Nor' Loch was drained and subsequently became part of the Princes Street Gardens in the 1820s.