Coming up in this guide: a massive sword, even-more-massive views, references to Braveheart, and everything you need to know about the National Wallace Monument.
You’re visiting Scotland. You’ll be in Stirling. You want to visit the National Wallace Monument.
Well, in this guide, your good friends at Travelness have brought you everything you need to know about the place. We’ve covered entry times, how to get there, who’ll enjoy it, and everything you can expect to see.
Welcome to your complete visitor’s guide to the National Wallace Monument. Pack your bag and come join the fun!
The National Wallace Monument: a quick intro
The National Wallace Monument (also known as ‘The Wallace Monument’) is a big lonely tower overlooking the city of Stirling and is one of the most distinctive landmarks in Scotland.
Measuring in at 67 meters (that’s 220 feet, to you Americans), it sits 2.5 miles (4km) from the center of the city, and it’s open for public visits.
The National Wallace Monument was built between 1861 and 1869. It was erected to commemorate Sir William Wallace, the iconic Scottish warrior most commonly known as Braveheart (yep, that’s the guy who Mel Gibson played in that famous Scottish movie*). Sir William Wallace played a significant role in the First War of Scottish Independence against England in the late 13th century.
*No, when you’re in Scotland, you shouldn’t repeatedly shout “freedom” every five minutes. Everyone is bored of that now. More here.
Inside, the National Wallace Monument has a bunch of different rooms, artifacts, and references to other Scottish icons (more on all that stuff later).
When and why was the National Wallace Monument built?
The National Wallace Monument was built to celebrate Sir William Wallace, one of history’s most famous Scottish people.
He lived from 1270 to 1305, he was a Scottish knight, and he was one of the main and most significant leaders during the First War of Scottish Independence (which lasted from 1296 to 1328).
In 1305, during that very war, he was captured and kidnapped, and King Edward I of England had him hung, drawn, and quartered.
… and, so, the monument was built to commemorate him, his achievements, and his status as a proud Scot.
The tower sits on the vantage point of a volcanic crag, the Abbey Craig.
From this vantage point, Wallace allegedly watched King Edward’s army gather before 1297’s Battle of Stirling Bridge.
Wallace and the Scots won this battle—it was one of the biggest Scottish victories during the First War of Scottish Independence.
The development and building of the tower took a total of 18 years: planning began in 1851, and construction finished in 1869. It was constructed after a long fundraising campaign, during a time when Scottish national pride was having a big ol’ boom.
Local people wanted to celebrate one of the most proud and respected Scottish people of all time, and the tower seemed like a worthy tribute.
Religious man Reverend Charles Rogers started the fundraising campaign, and some pretty big names contributed their cash (including Italian general Giuseppe Garibaldi, who, as you might know, was also a big fan of national pride).
Built in the Victorian Gothic style, the National Wallace Monument was designed by Scottish architect John Thomas Rochead, who was born in Edinburgh.
It cost £18,000 (22,000 USD)… which, according to the Bank of England, is now worth around £1,808,000 (2,200,000 USD). Pricey!
Inside the National Wallace Monument
The National Wallace Monument is bigger than most people expect (and includes more stuff than most people expect). When you visit, you’ll find:
The stairs: from bottom to top, the National Wallace Monument has 246 steps. These steps (obviously) take you to the top of the tower, where you’ll find all the fun stuff and an observation platform. From this observation platform, you can see the Ochil Hills, the Forth Valley, Ben Lomond, and the Pentland Hills. This viewing platform is also known as ‘The Crown,’ cos its roof sort of looks a bit like a crown.
The outside: when you get to the car park, you’ll find a map of the area and a load of marked forest trails. From here, you can follow some of these trails aimlessly, you can wander along the 20-minute marked trail from here to the monument, or you can hop onto the regularly-running minibus service from the car park to the monument (this drive takes less than 5 minutes).
The ground floor: there’s not much to see here. You’ll find a gift store, and the Keeper’s Lodge (where there’s a 1-minute promotional video playing on a loop). You don’t need to pay to enter this floor.
The Hall of Arms: here, you’ll learn about the big man himself. This room unpacks the truths and myths around William Wallace, including who he was, who he became, and how he’s remembered now. The most famous part of this room is The Wallace Sword, a two-handed weapon believed to belong to the man. It measures in at 1.68m (5.5 feet) and weighs approximately 3kg (6.6 lbs).
The Hall of Heroes: this room (as you’ve probably guessed from its name) celebrates other Scottish heroes. It features busts of these icons, along with some information cards. Big names featured here include Robert the Bruce, Adam Smith, Sir Walter Scott, Robert Burns, Mary Slessor, and Maggie Keswick Jencks.
The Royal Chamber: this room is centered around The Battle of Stirling Bridge, the conflict that inspired the location of the monument. You’ll see weapons, coats of arms, and a reconstruction of the landscape.
The Wallace Statue: in 1887, Scottish sculptor David Watson Stevenson designed a statue of William Wallace. Now, this statue is attached to the outside of the monument. The statue holds up a sword, and measures in at 6 meters (20 feet).
… and other artifacts and attractions!
How to visit the National Wallace Monument?
To get to the National Wallace Monument, you first need to get to Stirling. You can reach Stirling by train, from any other major part of Scotland. The city has direct rail connections to Edinburgh, Dundee, Glasgow, Inverness, Aberdeen, and many other places.
To get from Stirling to the National Wallace Monument, you can drive your own car (it’s around a 10-minute drive from the center of the city), or you can take public transport (there are many bus routes, but the best is the 52, which rides all the way to the monument car park). Or you can walk — it’ll take around one hour to reach the monument from Stirling’s center.
At present, the National Wallace Monument’s opening hours are:
- 10am until 4pm in January & February, November & December;
- 10am until 5 pm in March;
- 9:30am until 5pm in April, May, June, September & October;
- 9:30am until 6pm in July & August;
The National Wallace Monument is open every day of the year, except Christmas Day, Boxing Day, and New Year’s Day (and it might also be closed if the weather is very bad).
The last entry is 45 minutes before closing time, but you should arrive earlier than that (if you want to see everything, around 1.5 or 2 hours is about right).
… but I recommend visiting as part of a tour. On a tour, you’ll visit other places in the nearby area, and you’ll (probably) learn a lot more about the monument. And that brings us to…
Tours that include the National Wallace Monument
If you’re short on time and want to see loads of stuff in Scotland (or if you want to learn about the monument and other parts of Scotland), it’s best to visit the National Wallace Monument on a tour. Some of the best options include:
- Warriors & Wilderness: Braveheart & Stirlingshire Day Trip: if you want to go inside the monument, this is the tour for you. You get 90 minutes inside the monument, your admission ticket is included, and you get to ask questions about the place. Other highlights of this tour include Stirling Castle, Dunblane Cathedral, and The Battle of Bannockburn Experience (more on that place later).
- Wallace Monument, Stirling Castle, and Linlithgow Palace: on this half-day trip from Edinburgh, you visit three locations in depth. You also learn about this specific region, and get insights into the life of William Wallace. It’s a private tour (so you’ll need to be traveling with a group), and you get picked up from your hotel.
- Loch Ness and the Highlands Very Small Group Tour from Edinburgh: though most of this day tour takes place inside of a car, it covers a massive amount of stuff. Highlights include Glencoe, Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park, Loch Ness, Ben Nevis, Cairngorms National Park (which is the biggest national park in the UK), and views of Linlithgow Palace. This tour doesn’t actually take you inside the Wallace Monument.
- 3-Day Isle of Skye, Inverness, Highlands, and Glenfinnan Viaduct Tour from Edinburgh: the longest of all the tours we’ve brought you, this three-day from-Edinburgh trip covers a ridiculous amount of stuff (including highlights of the Isle of Skye*, which can be hard to access without your own car). Again, this tour only takes you past the National Wallace Monument—it doesn’t take you inside the place.
*For more Isle of Skye fun, check out our guides to the 13 best beaches on the Isle of Skye, the 15 best hikes and walks on the Isle of Skye, and the 11 best sunset spots on the Isle of Skye.
Events & activities at the National Wallace Monument
No matter when you visit, the National Wallace Monument is all pretty interactive and immersive. You can play with stuff, design stuff, get interactive photos, watch videos, and more. So, yep, it’s a perfect place to visit if you’re traveling with kids (or if you just behave like one).
But during some periods of the year, you’ll find special events. These special events might include live performances, costume characters, archery, ax throwing, kid-friendly fun, and seasonal events.
You can find a list of all confirmed upcoming events here. And if you’re looking for events across Scotland, this is your best resource.
What to see and do near the National Wallace Monument
When you’re visiting the National Wallace Monument, you can easily access other nearby fun. Highlights include:
- Bannockburn Heritage Centre: 9 years after William Wallace was killed, the battle for Scottish dependence continued to rage on. And during this year (that’s 1314, in case you’ve lost count), the Battle of Bannockburn took place. During the Battle of Bannockburn, Robert The Bruce led his army to victory against King Edward II of England, which was a major turning point in the war. And at this heritage center, you can learn all about the battle and its significance. It’s only 1.5 miles (2.5km) from Stirling, and you can move between the two by public transport.
- Robert the Bruce statue: located right beside the Bannockburn Heritage Center, this statue depicts the ax-wielding warrior sitting on the back of a horse. It sits on a plinth, its head was built using the real remains of the guy’s skull, and it used to be featured on the Scottish £20 note.
- Stirling Old Bridge: this is (unsurprisingly) an old bridge in Stirling. For a long while, this bridge provided the lowest crossing point of the Forth River, making it a strategic place for battle-based movements.
- Stirling Castle: sort of like a miniature version of Edinburgh Castle, Stirling Castle is one of the most impressive castles in Scotland. Lots of tours can take you there, but this is one of the best of them.
Before you go…
Alright, that’s everything you need to know about the National Wallace Monument!
It’s super scenic, it’s easy to reach, and it has loads of interesting history. So we massively recommend visiting the place. And if you are gonna visit the place, we recommend doing so as part of this tour (of all the tours we’ve brought you, it gives you the most possible time inside the monument).
For more nearby adventures, here are the best walks in Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park, and your ultimate 2-day itinerary for Edinburgh. And to visit an even stranger monument, here’s the secret pyramid in Scotland you didn’t know existed.
