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
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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

alan austin (18 months ago)
Pity only one room to see but very good what we saw,the building itself very nice and outside museums very interesting.
Pili Arqued (18 months ago)
Beautiful castle. Ballroom with awesome memorabilia. Surronding gardens are a pleasure. Dogs allowed, mini mobility scooters for people with mobility issues.
Stuart Lusty (18 months ago)
Historic magical Castle and grounds a fantastic place to visit. The kids will love it. Plenty of open grounds for them to run around..
Jim Robison (19 months ago)
Great experience got voucher from my son. Great day out seeing where Queen has her holiday in August each year
Andrew Browne (2 years ago)
I visited in Dec 2018 and was able to get a tour of the grounds. It was very informative and it was great to learn more about the history of the castle. The gift shop was quite reasonable and I regretted later not buying gifts from there. If you are in the area and there are tours - I would highly suggest dropping in for a tour.
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