Palace of Holyroodhouse: King David I founded the a...

Read aloud by your device's voice. It sounds different on each device.

The abbey

King David I founded the abbey in 1128 after a vision of the cross

The ruined Augustinian Holyrood Abbey beside the palace was founded in 1128 on the orders of King David I. The name comes either from a vision of the cross that David I is said to have seen, or from a relic of the True Cross known as the Holy Rood. James II was born, crowned, married and buried there.

A palace

James IV built a Gothic palace beside the abbey from 1501

Between 1501 and 1505 James IV constructed a Gothic palace adjacent to the abbey. The impetus probably came from his marriage to Margaret Tudor, which took place in the abbey in August 1503. In 1512 a lion house and menagerie were built in the gardens for the king's lion, tigers, lynx and bears.

A tower

James V's Tower is the oldest surviving part

James V added to the palace between 1528 and 1536, beginning with the present James V's Tower, which is the oldest surviving part of the palace. This huge rectangular tower, rounded at the corners, provided new royal lodgings at the north-west corner of the palace.

Prince Charles

Bonnie Prince Charlie held court here for six weeks in 1745

Holyrood briefly became a royal palace once again when Charles Edward Stuart, as Prince Regent for his father, set up court at the palace for six weeks in September and October 1745, during the Jacobite Rising.

Rizzio

Mary, Queen of Scots, saw her secretary murdered in her rooms

It was in the royal apartments that Mary, Queen of Scots, witnessed the murder of David Rizzio, her private secretary, on 9 March 1566. He was dragged from supper through the bedchamber into the outer chamber, where he was stabbed to death.

Day 1, afternoon

It comes after Royal Mile.

See it in the plan

Palace of Holyroodhouse