Balmoral Castle

Ballater, United Kingdom

Balmoral Castle has been the Scottish home of the Royal Family since it was purchased for Queen Victoria by Prince Albert in 1852, having been first leased in 1848. The castle is an example of Scots Baronial architecture.

King Robert II of Scotland (1316–1390) had a hunting lodge in the area. Historical records also indicate that a house at Balmoral was built by Sir William Drummond in 1390. A tower house was built on the estate by the Gordons.

Sir Robert Gordon, a younger brother of the 4th Earl of Aberdeen, acquired the estate in 1830. He made major alterations to the original castle at Balmoral, including baronial-style extensions that were designed by John Smith of Aberdeen.

Soon after the estate was purchased by the royal family in 1852, the existing house was found to be too small and the current Balmoral Castle was commissioned. The architect was William Smith of Aberdeen, although his designs were amended by Prince Albert.

In 1931, the castle gardens were opened to the public for the first time and they now are open daily between April and the end of July, after which Queen Elizabeth arrives for her annual stay. The ballroom is the only room in the castle that may be viewed by the public.

Architecture and surroundings

Though called a castle, Balmoral's primary function is that of a country house. It is a 'typical and rather ordinary' country house from the Victorian period. The tower and 'pepper pot turrets' are characteristic features of the residence's Scottish Baronial style. The seven story tower is an architectural feature borrowed from medieval defensive tower houses. Other features of the Scottish Baronial style are the crow-stepped gables, dormer windows, and battlemented porte-cochère.

Balmoral Estate is within the Cairngorms National Park and is partly within the Deeside and Lochnagar National Scenic Area. The 50,000-acre (20,000 ha) estate contains a wide variety of landscapes, from the Dee river valley to open mountains.

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Address

Ballater, United Kingdom
See all sites in Ballater

Details

Founded: 1852
Category: Castles and fortifications in United Kingdom

More Information

www.balmoralcastle.com
en.wikipedia.org

Rating

4.3/5 (based on Google user reviews)

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User Reviews

John Brimelow (3 months ago)
Beautiful house in a lovely location. Be aware you can only visit one room inside the castle, the ballroom. However the guides are very informative and friendly. Just a shame you can't see more.
Simon Yates (3 months ago)
You won't get to see much of the castle. But the grounds are stunning and well worth the time going to visit. Easy to see why it's the royal favourite retreat.
Paul Brocklehurst (4 months ago)
Stunning castle, excellent tour, interesting facts and lots to see. Great for adults and kids, parking is available through the gate and right next to the castle. Beautiful colours and scenery during an autumn visit.
Leah Kennedy (4 months ago)
You would expect nothing less of a royal castle - beautiful and pristine. The tour was great in terms of information and education on the history, and the grounds and exterior of the castle are beautiful - especially in autumn. However, even when the queen isn't in residence you can only visit one room in the castle.
Johnny Be good (4 months ago)
We where so lucky. Saw the queen 2 times in her Range Rover going and coming from the church where she every Sunday morning goes to. Church is unluckily not accessible at that time. Beautiful gardens. Ballroom is nice, only place which is accessible. Nice gardens. A visit certainly worth.
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The Beckov castle stands on a steep 50 m tall rock in the village Beckov. The dominance of the rock and impression of invincibility it gaves, challenged our ancestors to make use of these assets. The result is a remarkable harmony between the natural setting and architecture.

The castle first mentioned in 1200 was originally owned by the King and later, at the end of the 13th century it fell in hands of Matúš Èák. Its owners alternated - at the end of the 14th century the family of Stibor of Stiborice bought it.

The next owners, the Bánffys who adapted the Gothic castle to the Renaissance residence, improved its fortifications preventing the Turks from conquering it at the end of the 16th century. When Bánffys died out, the castle was owned by several noble families. It fell in decay after fire in 1729.

The history of the castle is the subject of different legends. One of them narrates the origin of the name of castle derived from that of jester Becko for whom the Duke Stibor had the castle built.

Another legend has it that the lord of the castle had his servant thrown down from the rock because he protected his child from the lords favourite dog. Before his death, the servant pronounced a curse saying that they would meet in a year and days time, and indeed precisely after that time the lord was bitten by a snake and fell down to the same abyss.

The well-conserved ruins of the castle, now the National Cultural Monument, are frequently visited by tourists, above all in July when the castle festival takes place. The former Ambro curia situated below the castle now shelters the exhibition of the local history.

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