A Visit to Edinburgh.

"Edinburgh is what Paris ought to be".   Robert Louis Stevenson.

                               "Edinburgo es lo que París debería ser" 

Two of the most popular sights (lugares de interés) in the capital of  Scotland are Edinburgh Castle and Holyrood house. Let's learn a little  about their history. 

Edinburgh Castle   

Since the reign of King Edwin  in the seventh century Edinburgh has  had a castle. For centuries castles have been built and destroyed in the same place. The present Castle was built in the twelfth and thirteeth centuries . Sometimes the English defended it against the Scots and sometimes the Scots defended it against the English .

In 1437 Edinburgh became the capital of Scotland and from that time (desde entonces) the kings and Queens lived in the Castle.

The Crown Chamber (La cámara de la corona ) still has the crown and jewels  of the Scottish Kings. Every September visitors from all over the world come to the Castle to see Edinburgh Festival  and the Castle echoes with shouts of joy and not of war ( el castillo resuena con gritos de alegría no de guerra).

Holyrood House           

A mile away from the Castle is Holyrood House. This mile is in fact called the Royal Mile, because Scottish Kings and Queens travelled along it so often . Holyrood House was built by James IV and James V  in the middle of the fifteenth century.Mary Queen of Scots  lived here too for a time before becoming a prisoner of Queen Elizabeth I ( 1558-1603) .

Later Queen Elizabeth executed Mary by cutting her head off.

Holyrood House  still receives royal visitors. Queen Elizabeth II stays here when she comes to Edinburgh. This Queen Elizabeth does not take prisoners and cut their heads off  !