Central Scotland
Wallace Monument
About
Wallace Monument
The Wallace Monument stands on Abbey Craig, just outside Stirling. This Victorian Gothic tower is 67 metres tall and was built to honour Sir William Wallace, who led the Scots to victory at Stirling Bridge in 1297. The site marks one of the most important events in Scotland’s history.The monument was built between 1861 and 1869 after a fundraising campaign by people across Scotland. J. T. Rochead designed it in a medieval-inspired style. The tower overlooks the fields where Wallace’s forces defeated the English army on 11 September 1297.Visitors can climb 246 steps to reach the top of the monument. Along the way, they pass the Hall of Scottish Heroes, which celebrates notable Scots, and the Hall of Arms, where Wallace’s two-handed sword - 1.63 metres long - is displayed. At the top, the views include the Forth Valley, Stirling Castle, and the Trossachs.
Things to see & do
FAQs
Braveheart (1995) was filmed mainly in Ireland, not here. The monument is, though, the main memorial to the real William Wallace and the most visited attraction linked to the film's subject. Mel Gibson visited during filming.
The tower stands 67 metres (220 feet) tall, about the height of a 22-storey building, with 246 steps up to the viewing gallery. It was completed in 1869 following a public fundraising campaign.
The monument is around 1.5 miles north-east of Stirling city centre, on the Abbey Craig, a rocky outcrop above the Forth floodplain. It's about 10 minutes by car from Stirling Castle, so the two pair up naturally on a day tour. A shuttle bus links the car park to the base of the hill.
From the crown, 67 metres above the Abbey Craig, the panorama takes in the Stirling Castle rock, the meandering loops of the River Forth, the Campsie Fells to the south-west, the Ochil Hills to the east, and on clear days the Highland peaks from Ben Lomond to Ben Ledi. It's one of the finest viewpoints in central Scotland.
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Wallace Monument
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