Edinburgh Castle is the hard to miss heart of the city, and a really amazing structure. Our visit there came at the end of a very long, tiring day of sightseeing, and so we perhaps didn't explore it to the fullest. But it's impossible not to get some great photos of such an imposing complex of neat buildings.

Perhaps its most interesting aspect, after its position on scenic and strategic high ground, is its age. A fortress has been on the site since the 600's, and parts of the current castle were built in the 1100's. Specifically, the Margaret Chapel, where the stained glass shown below is located. We saw it put to a modern use other than tourism, though, as a wedding party exited while we were there. Once the happy couple was on their way, we were able to go into the tiny space and see the windows.

In the middle and on the right are parts of the Castle not quite that old but still impressive.

Of course, in addition to a Chapel and a palace, the structure's main function historically is as a fort. Here's a look through one of the gun embrasures, sighting down the Royal Mile, on the left. And on the right is a building that I believe is the Scottish National War Memorial, erected not so much in honor of the many soldiers who died as the Castle was taken and re-taken over the centuries, but primarily for the Scots who died in the 20th century's World Wars.

Of course, being located where it is, the views from various points on the Castle grounds are fantastic. Here's a selection that make it obvious why it was such a strategic place to build a fortress. And, today, why it's such a great place to visit:

We took a lot more photos of the Castle; you can see them all in the Flickr set.

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