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This project was born from work, humility and experience in order to make people who visit Scotland feel part of its history and its legends.

If you would like an experience tailored to you, we offer personalized packages with a variety of options. You can choose the duration of the tour, focus on specific aspects of the city's history, and explore the locations that are of interest to you.

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**Stirling** was one of Scotland's three most important strongholds. A city that has witnessed countless battles and great feats, but if anything is born from its very heart, it is the name of one of the country's most important heroes: **William Wallace**.



Stirling Old Town

Stirling

Guided tours in Stirling

All of you will probably have seen the movie called Braveheart (and if you still have not, it has been out for over twenty five years!) in which the super famous Scottish hero William Wallace (embodied by Mel Gibson, a full blooded Scotsman) leads Scottish troops into that epic and monumental defeat of the English army, in the wider frame of the First War of Scottish Independence. But, do you remember in which place that famous battle took place? Well, it was no less than in the Stirling Bridge. And it is here, in [Stirling](https://scotlandcitytours.com/blog/reasons-to-visit-stirling), that you will find the only monument in the whole wide world devoted to this brave heart of Scotland.

The National Wallace Monument is no more and no less than a sandstone tower built in Victorian Neogothic style, standing about 67 meters (around 220 feet) tall. It is nestled upon the highest point of Abbey Craig, in the very same fields where Wallace commanded the Scots into such a historic victory, and it is said that, from it, he watched the English army before the [Battle of Stirling Bridge](https://scotlandcitytours.com/blog/Battle-of-Stirling-Bridge).

The tower was built thanks to a fundraising campaign, amid a renewed nationalist sentiment in Scotland during the 1800s. Besides this public endorsement, it was also funded by some foreign sponsors, including Italian leader **Giuseppe Garibaldi**. It was completed in 1869, following the designs of architect John Thomas Rochead.

In order to access the monument, it is necessary to climb up to the hill found in the outskirts of the city and, once inside, it consists of three floors featuring exhibitions, plus the crown spire in its uppermost part, from which you will be able to enjoy some impressive views of the surroundings. Each level of the monument can be accessed by means of a spiral staircase with no less than **246 steps**, which also happen to be narrow and steep.

The monument remains open all year long, with a diverse event program including regular shows by actors in costumes during summer months. Your entrance ticket can be purchased directly upon your arrival, or in advance on the Internet, and these are the fees:

Web: [National Wallace Monument](https://www.yourstirling.com/see-do/the-wallace-monument/)

| Category | Price |
|---|---|
| Adults | £11.65 |
| Seniors or Students | £8.75  |
| Kids | £6.75 |
| Kids under 5 years | Free |
| Family entrance (from) | £24.25 |
 
 
 
![torre wallace otoño.jpeg](https://somosescocia.lon1.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/strapi/torre_wallace_otono_e5d9ade4cc.jpeg)

Once indoors, you will find your way up the tower, towards the crown, and you will be able to see that every floor tells the story of this **national hero of Scotland**, as well as showing us how his partaking in Scottish history has been acknowledged throughout many generations. This is what you will find in each one of the levels:

 
## 1. The armory room
This gallery sets the stage to tell us the story of **William Wallace**, placing us in the historical background of the events that took place in 1297, when the Scottish army, **led by Wallace and Andrew of Moray**, faced up to the forces of **King Edward I** of England upon **River Forth**.

In this hall, you will discover how William Wallace emerged from the dark and became the leader of the Scots, as well as how the Battle of Stirling Bridge was fought and won, and the role that Wallace played in the [Wars of Scottish Independence.](https://somosescocia.com/blog/guerras-de-independencia-escocesa).

An unmissable piece in this floor is **the enormous Wallace sword**, which is 1.67 meters (5’ 6”) long, a remarkable symbol for his courage and talent, which has been preserved in the monument since 1888. Although there is something even more outstanding: the fact that this sword was stolen not once, but twice! The first time was in 1936, by Scottish nationalists from the University of Glasgow, and then it happened again in 1972. Luckily enough, the sword was returned both times.

 
![espada.jpeg](https://somosescocia.lon1.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/strapi/espada_aca2486a6e.jpeg)

<figcaption>William Wallace’s Claymore</figcaption>


## 2. The hero hall
As well as inspiring those who fought beside him, Wallace’s spirit has also inspired generations of Scots in the centuries to come, for his fame has not lost one bit of its strength during all of these years. This gallery also shows how they came to be acknowledged as heroes, and the place they took alongside **William Wallace**.

A special exhibition within this gallery presents us with [Scotland’s female heroes](https://somosescocia.com/blog/mujeres-de-escocia) and it tells the story of **fourteen extraordinary women** whose creativity, kindness, and selfless service have enriched Scottish society, as well as many other countries across the world.
 

## 3. The royal chamber
In the gallery on the third floor, you will be able to discover some facts and figures about the **Battle of Stirling Bridge**. On two special screens, it can be seen which weapons might have been used by both armies, as well as how the battle was fought and won.

In this room, an interactive viewer allows us to see the views that can be observed nowadays from **Abbey Craig**, and then watch them as Wallace would have in 1297, looking through Stirling, with a detailed reconstruction of the landscape and important historical monuments.

## 4. The crown
At last, you will reach the highest point in the monument, from whence you can get a glimpse of a historical landscape: a place where battles were fought and won, as well as the best views Scotland can provide. From Ben Lomond and the **Trossachs** in the west, all the way through the Ochil Hills and the valley of River Forth beyond the city of **Stirling**, until reaching the Pentland hills to the east.

 
![vista.jpeg](https://somosescocia.lon1.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/strapi/vista_13bbebc56d.jpeg)

 

To bring matters to a close, as previously mentioned, the **National Wallace Monument** is nestled in the outskirts of Stirling, about a 50-minute walk from the heart of the city, but there is also a bus service which departs from Stirling Bus Station, adjacent to the train station. From here, bus 52 departs every thirty minutes as of 8:30 in the morning on working days, and it stops outside the monument.

Despite how far away it is from the center, it will be worth it to have climbed such a number of steps! I am not a huge fan of the movie, there is no denying it, so, to me, it is an almost mandatory visit due to its history, its importance, and because of **William Wallace**.

| Tours and trips |
|---|
| Book the **Stirling Historic Tour** |
| Book the **Stirling Castle Tour** |

| Tours and activities in other cities |
|---|
| Book the [Edinburgh Free Tour](https://scotlandcitytours.com/tours-edinburgh/edinburgh-free-tour) |
| Book the [Mystery and witch burning free tour in Edinburgh](https://scotlandcitytours.com/tours-edinburgh/edinburgh-ghost-tour) |
| Book the [Glasgow Free Walking Tour](https://scotlandcitytours.com/tours-glasgow/glasgow-free-tour) |
| Book the [Edinburgh Castle Guided Tour](https://scotlandcitytours.com/tours-edinburgh/guided-tour-edinburgh-castle) |
| Book the [The Best Night Out in Scotland!](https://scotlandcitytours.com/tours-edinburgh/pubcrawl-edinburgh) |

National Wallace Monument

Sons of Scotland, I am William Wallace