King David I was hunting on this land when he encountered a mystical white stag, with a rood (old Scottish for cross) between its antlers, taking this as a divine sign, the King founded Hollyrood Abbey here in 1128 to house a fragment of the true cross that he obtained from his mother St. Margaret. Sitting outside the city walls the abbey was continually ransacked and rebuilt, most notably by Charles IV who added an east wing and stone roof, until it finally collapsed in 1768. The original Norman door still survives as does the Gothic nave and a number of other ruins from the later 12th and early 13th century.

In 1501 James II extended the abbey guest house to act as an alternative to the drafty confines of the castle. Later refurbished by James IV and James V, the 1535 tower is the oldest surviving part of the palace and was once home to Mary Queen of Scots and was the sight of th murder of her private secretary David Rizzio. The palace was largely abandoned after James VI departed for London in 1603. The current Palace of Hollyroodhouse is largely a 17th century construction built for Charles II, but it remained unoccupied until Victoria reinstated royal visits to Scotland and it remains the official royal residence in Scotland.

Hollyrood, or Queen's Park, contains everything that you would expect from the Scottish countryside, but in miniature. There are moors and hills, a glen (called Dry Dam), three lochs (one natural Duddingstone and two artificial St. Margaret's and Dunsapie), the ruins of a chapel (St Anthony's), a 400ft high series of basalt cliffs (Salisbury Crags) and topping them all a mountain (Arthur's Seat). Arthur's Seat dominates the city and the 251m extinct volcano offers fantastic 360 degree views of the City that are well worth the 45-60 minute walk to the summit.

A spectacular place to get away from the crush of the city and it is also the location for the annual Fringe Sunday event where on the second Sunday of August the various performers from the fringe gather here to showcase their talents for free.

Before you enter the tall ornate iron gates to the palace courtyard with the lovely crowned fountain, check out the small stone building near the street. It is rumored that this was Mary Queen of Scots' bathhouse where she bathed 3 times a year, while her cousin Elizabeth (Queen of England) only bathed once at Christmas!

We entered the Abbey of Holyrood first which was built by David 1 in 1128 after he was attacked at this spot by a raging stag that pinned him to the ground. Instead of seeing stars....he saw the cross of Christ between the antlers, and took it as a sign to build a monastery. During Scotland's bloody history, many royals were married here (Mary QOS TWICE)or buried here. There are stone coffins built into the floor. I assume they were filled at one time. If you look below, you will see that I found one that was a bit too perfect!

Since this is a royal residence...no photos! But I would have loved to get the Queens bedchamber with the burgundy and gold canopy bed with curtains that hang to the floor. Tall stone lions surround the fireplace with blue and white Dutch Delft tiles inside.

I loved the upright Flemish linen cabinet made of wood with pretty carved red hearts on it in Mary QOS' bedroom. Her gold silk bed has tall white feathers that reach the ceiling. In this room there is also a tortoise shell chest that gleams when the light touches it.

This is very near the rounded tower where her secretary, Rizzio was stabbed over 50 times in front of her eyes by men who wanted her to abort the child (and future king) she carried. Rizzio was dragged into the very next room, where there is still a darkened stain near the window where the body stayed that horrible night. In this same drawing room there is a life size painting of the knock-em dead queen. She was a pretty lady who went to her death in a flaming red petticoat as a message to her cousin Elizabeth that she was a martyr.

The Kings Closet has a harpsichord and harp that are matching in a Chinese enamel of black and gold that would have looked nice in my living room.

There are so many treasures here and fine portraits that I was on sensory overload and felt that a run in the garden was needed. The sun was illuminating the golden Arborvitae that formed a backdrop to the purple Salvia and the pink Astilbe. Take the hike up the extinct volcano (Arthur's Seat) for a great view.