Exterior of the Palace

The Holyrood Palace stands in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. When founded in the 13^th century, Edinburgh began as a fort (A History of the Palace of Holyroodhouse, 3). Although the main residence of the Royal family in Scotland is Balmoral Castle, the Holyrood Palace became a place of residence in the 1920s (Wickham-Jones, 45). From the end of June to the beginning of July, Holyrood week takes place. As the Royal family began their visit to Scotland, there were celebrations which included Scottish culture, community and achievements. Constructed in 1128, the Palace was founded by David I, the son of St Margaret of Scotland. Holyrood was first noticed as an Augustinian Abbey (Mullay, 298). Taken over during the Scottish civil war, the Palace was burnt into shambles during 1650, this was then used as barracks (William, 294). As rebuilding began in 1679, Sir William Bruce took over as architect. Holyrood is derived from Old English, and means, in simple terms, a crucifix. It is typically associated with Jesus and the Cross where he died. Holyrood Palace is one of Edinburgh’s largest attractions while it also stands as a site of the 1992 European ‘summit’ (Mullay, 298).