Edinburgh is the European capital containing the National Museum of Scotland and Edinburgh Castle on Castle Rock.
Edinburgh Castle occupies a volcanic rock in the centre of Scotland’s capital. The fortress has been associated with royal residence since at least the 12th century, although the surviving buildings come from many different periods. St Margaret’s Chapel, built around 1130, is widely regarded as Edinburgh’s oldest surviving building.
The National Museum of Scotland opened in 2011 after the merger of the Royal Museum and the Museum of Scotland. Its collections cover natural history, science, technology, world cultures, and Scottish history.
Edinburgh became Scotland’s capital in the Middle Ages and remains the seat of the Scottish Parliament. It is also internationally known for the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, founded in 1947, and for its Old and New Towns, which together form a UNESCO World Heritage Site.