Coming up in this guide: Scottish kings, Celtic mythology, Stirling Castle, a well-known Mercat Cross, more than one mythical creature, and Scotland’s national animal.
India has the tiger.
Canada has the beaver.
China has the panda.
England has the lion.
… but what’s the national animal of Scotland?
Coming up, the surprising answer to that question, and a whole load more.
Pack your bagpipes and come join the party!
What is the National Animal of Scotland?
A unicorn.
No, you didn’t read that wrong: the unicorn is Scotland’s national animal.
It’s not an eagle, or a dolphin, or a whale, or even a Highland cow (or any of the other cool animals you can actually see in Scotland).
No, it’s a fictional creature with a big pointy object coming out of its head.
Why is the Unicorn Scotland’s National Animal? And How is it Related to Scottish Kings?
Although no-one really knows for sure why the unicorn is Scotland’s national animal, it’s probably because of the nation’s long-standing rivalry with England.
… and the answer will take us on a journey via some Scottish kings.
According to most experts, the magical unicorn was adopted as Scotland’s national animal sometime in the late 1300s by King Robert III.
… but to get to that point, we’ll take you back in time a little:
The Wars of Scottish Independence (when Scotland was vying for its independence from England) were fought between 1296 and 1357.
… and in the late 1100s, the lion became the national animal of England.
But get this: historically, lions and unicorns were always considered to be mythological enemies, locked in some eternal battle to prove which animal was the most noble or powerful or handsome or whatever.
King Robert III held the Scottish throne between 1390 and 1406—and by the time he took the crown in 1390, the English-Scottish wars of independence had been and gone, and Scotland had regained its independence.
Scottish people were proud to be independent, and many lives had been lost in the fight between the two nations.
… so it’s probably no coincidence that King Robert III chose an enemy of the lion as the Scottish national animal.
(All that said, it’s also worth noting that the unicorn was first used as a Scottish emblem in the 12th century. So although the Scotland-unicorn associations were seemingly made clear and official by Robert III, there were connections before then.
Are There Any Other Historical Details to Consider?
Yep!
The unicorn was also an important symbol in Celtic mythology—and allegedly represented a combo of purity and power. And because modern-day Scottish culture has strong ties to ancient Celtic culture, it’s natural that the unicorn affiliations carried through from Celtic culture to Scottish culture.
… and around the world, the unicorn was always considered to be proud, dominant, and elegant. So why wouldn’t a nation want to be associated with those things?
Why is the unicorn Scotland’s national animal? Now you know!
The Unicorn on the Scottish Royal Coat of Arms
Because of the Scotland-unicorn connections, the unicorn soon became an important symbol in Scottish heraldry.
From around the mid-1500s onwards, Scotland’s royal coat of arms* began to feature two unicorns.
*by the way, just in case you’re not familiar with the term, a ’coat of arms,’ in the words of Cambridge Dictionary, is:
“a design, usually in the shape of a shield (with straight sides and a rounded or pointed lower edge) which is the symbol of a family, university, city, or company, [or, in this case, country].”
But in 1603, that royal Scottish coat of arms changed again.
In 1603, the Union of the Crowns occurred (that’s when England and Scotland began having a joint monarch—which was King James—instead of separate monarchs). And when that happened, the coat of arms was changed…
… the English two-lions design was merged with the Scottish two-unicorns design…
… to make a coat of arms with a lion on one side, and a unicorn on the other.
And still to this day, the UK royal coat of arms features one lion and one unicorn, just like King James wanted all those years ago. And the version with two unicorns is no longer the Scottish national emblem.
On this current royal coat of arms (and on any other coat of arms ever featuring the Scottish unicorn), the unicorn is depicted with gold chains wrapped around its neck and body. No one really knows exactly why this is… but most believe these chains symbolize how Scottish monarchs were able to tame one of the world’s most untamable beasts.
In the 15th and 16th centuries, some Scottish coins featured unicorns—and according to some sources, two of these gold coins were literally known as ‘the unicorn’ and the ‘half-unicorn.’ Yep, Scotland really loves unicorns.
The Unicorn—A Short Mythological History
For a long while, people around the world thought unicorns *actually* existed—so they weren’t always considered to be a mythical creature.
… and around different parts of the world, unicorns represented different qualities and ideas.
During the Middle Ages, unicorns were typically depicted as wild woodland creatures, and weren’t necessarily the bright-white pure-looking animals we all imagine today:
Sometimes, they were black or gray. Sometimes, they took the form of goats or boars. Some claimed they were almost as big as elephants. Unicorn-like creatures of various descriptions were mentioned in Greek works, Persian texts, Egyptian scrolls and even the Bible (although some people reckon the Bible mentions might be some type of mistranslation). And most people believe the first-ever mention of a unicorn came from India.
People once thought unicorn horns could be used to treat various illnesses and ailments—and others believed the horn could be used to detect poisons, or even thought it possessed magical properties. Other stories associated it with the power and movements of the moon, and some thought unicorns could only be tamed by virgin women.
On other occasions, narwhal tusks were fraudulently sold as unicorn horns. And people bought them, thinking they could cure their illnesses with them.
Even famous brainboxes like da Vinci and Marco Polo would write about the beasts—so it’s clear basically everyone thought unicorns existed.
(Some have speculated these various worldwide mentions of unicorns are somehow related. But back when there was little else to do but sit and imagine things, it probably wouldn’t have taken much imagination to conjure up an animal with one horn coming out of its head.)
… these unicorn beliefs held strong until the 1820s when French zoologist Baron George Covier spoiled everyone’s fun by proving its anatomy was impossible. And we now all know the unicorn is actually just a mythical beast. What a killjoy.
Despite the fact that we all now know unicorns are completely made up, there are still endless references to the beasts in art and literature. Famous examples include the first Harry Potter book and movie (where Lord Voldemort drinks the blood of a unicorn), Dungeons & Dragons, My Little Pony, the director’s cut of Blade Runner, Lewis Carroll’s Through The Looking-Glass, and lots of paintings.
National Unicorn Day
According to Google, there’s now an annual event called ‘National Unicorn Day,’ which occurs on the 9th of April, in Scotland, every year.
Now, to be honest, I’ve never seen any events related to it, and I can’t imagine it’ll be a big deal. But if you’re in Scotland on that day, you could use this page to see if any events are happening.
Good luck… cos I can’t imagine many places making a big fuss about National Unicorn Day.
‘But, Paul, I Once Read that Unicorns DID exist!’
Well, someone lied to you.
Actual unicorns have never existed.
But there was a real-life creature some people believe had one single horn.
… so, obviously, people have drawn parallels between this real-life-maybe-one-horned animal and the not-real-life-but-definitely-one-horned unicorn.
This maybe-one-horned animal was the elasmotherium, a massive rhino-like creature that used to roam around Eurasia. There were five different elasmotherium species, but the best-known sometimes goes by the name of ‘the Siberian Unicorn.’
This Siberian Unicorn was around the size of a mammoth, and some people reckon it might have had one large horn. But there’s no actual evidence to back this claim up.
So, now you know: that’s your real-life ‘unicorn.’
Where Can I See Unicorns in Scotland?
Nowhere. Largely because unicorns don’t actually exist.
But you can see depictions of the royal unicorn (and various pieces of unicorn heraldry) in many parts of Scotland.
Some of the best places to spot them include:
- Stirling Castle: sitting inside the castle’s majestic Great Hall, you’ll find seven hand-woven tapestries. Inspired by the ‘Unicorn Tapestries,’ they feature a load of varied characters and scenes (including, of course, some unicorns).
- Linlithgow Palace: famous as the birthplace of Mary Queen of Scots (that’s the woman who became the Scottish Queen when she was only 6 days old), the palace features a unicorn on its so-called King’s Fountain. The “oldest fountain that survives in its original location in Britain,” it’s over 5 meters (16 feet) in height.
- Craigmillar Castle: also related to Mary Queen of Scots, this Edinburgh castle is where she came to rest for a couple of weeks after the birth of her son (who later became King James VI). The Preston coat of arms (that’s the symbol of the family who built the place) at Craigmillar Castle features three unicorns.
- Mercat Crosses: these old market crosses once indicated where people could shop and trade. There are many different types, and lots of them have unicorns at the top of them. Some of the most famous can be found in Edinburgh, Prestonpans, and Dunfermline. The most well-known is the Mercat Cross of the coastal town of Prestonpans, which features a unicorn on a narrow column. You can find it at Preston Road, EH32 9EJ.
- St Giles’ Cathedral: St Giles Cathedral sits in Edinburgh’s Old Town. Inside it, you’ll find the coat of arms of King James VI, featuring both a unicorn and a lion.
- Palace of Holyroodhouse: also sitting in Edinburgh, the Palace of Holyroodhouse is the official residence of the British monarch in Scotland. Here, there are lots of unicorns, including on walls, on ceilings, and on gateposts.
- St Andrews University: sitting in the town of St Andrews, this is the oldest university in Scotland. One of its stone doorways features a carving of a unicorn above it.
- Spynie Palace: located between Elgin and Lossiemouth, Spynie Palace is home to the ruins of a 14th-century bishop’s palace. The big tower house here features an engraving of a unicorn.
- Kilmodan Sculptured Stones: located west of Loch Lomond, the middle-of-nowhere Kilmodan Stones are a collection of late-medieval carved stones. They feature many different patterns, narratives, and animals… and a unicorn.
- The HMS Unicorn: not really related to unicorns at all, this museum sits inside an old navy warship. It’s located in Dundee.
- Miscellaneous museums and sites: in many other Scottish places, you might stumble upon small depictions of the mythical creatures. The above definitely isn’t an exhaustive list (even though you might have been exhausted reading it). So on your Scottish travels, you might find unicorns on furniture, in jewelry, on buildings, or in paintings.
Before You Go
Alright, now you know—the unicorn is Scotland’s national animal.
… and that’s probably because of the historical rivalry between Scotland and England.
Whatever the reason, the unicorn still sits on the UK coat of arms, and you can still see images of unicorns in various parts of Scotland.
For more animal-related Scottish facts, get yourself over to our guides on bears in Scotland, wolves in Scotland, and elk in Scotland.
