Palace of Holyroodhouse

Holyrood Abbey was founded in 1128 and its guesthouse was used by Scottish kings, who progressively rebuilt it into a palace; the northwest tower of 1528 is the oldest surviving part and holds the chambers of Mary, Queen of Scots, including the room where her secretary David Rizzio was killed in front of her in 1566. Charles II rebuilt the rest from 1671 in a restrained classical style around a quadrangle. The Great Gallery holds 110 portraits of Scottish monarchs painted by Jacob de Wet in the 1680s under a contract to produce them at speed; most of the earlier kings are legendary and the faces were invented, many sharing the same nose. The abbey church stands roofless beside the palace, its roof having collapsed in 1768. The palace stands at the foot of the Royal Mile with Arthur's Seat behind.

Highlights

• The Great Gallery - 110 painted monarchs, most of them invented in the 1680s.
• Mary's chambers - 1528 tower rooms including the site of the 1566 killing.
• The roofless abbey - a twelfth-century church whose roof fell in 1768.
• The Charles II quadrangle - the classical palace rebuilt from 1671.

When to go

Year-round; the palace closes to visitors during royal visits, typically for a period each summer, so dates must be checked. Winter is quieter and light in the gallery is poor by mid-afternoon.

Practical notes

Closures for official use happen at short notice and cover several weeks a year. Photography inside is not permitted. The ticket is expensive and the visit is a fixed route. Queues build in summer with the Royal Mile crowds.

Nearby

Arthur's Seat rises directly behind; the Royal Mile runs up to the castle.

Key facts