Great Hall of Stirling Castle

Intended for occaisons of state and royal celebrations, the Great Hall was a large rectangular space that was completed around 1503. Due to the terrain of the Castle Rock, the Hall was built upon a vaulted undercroft which raised the main floor to the level of the Inner Close. The Great Hall was connected to the Palace via a bridge between the buildings. To heat the space, five massive fireplaces were built, with two on each side and one at south end. While the Great Hall hosted numerous special events, one of the most noteworthy was the baptism celebration for Prince Henry, the first son of James IV, in 1594, which saw a large ship constructed inside the building. In later years, the building was subdivided as the castle's uses changed. Following the army's departure in 1964, work began to restore the Great Hall to its 1500s appearance.