Reliving Scottish independence in Stirling

Scotland is a land full of history, legends, magic and beauty, which have inspired many artists like the famous and amazing J.K Rowling and her fantasy novels, Harry Potter (check the following story to read about some of the Scottish locations that inspired J.K Rowling). Scottish people feel very proud of their identity, which is noticeably different to the rest of the people who live in the other parts of the UK, and they have very strong symbols of their Scottish identity. There was a man whose name is clearly very important to all the Scots and a very strong symbol of Scottish independence: William Wallace. 

700 years ago approximately, Scotland was ruled by a very cruel king called Edward I, who used tyranny and terror to rule the brave and tough Scots. The Scots desperately needed a hero to fight against the repression, and the cruelty of King Edward I, and they sought a leader to take the campaign for freedom into battle, and on to victory. William Wallace was a true patriot who had a very strong desire for freedom and peace who managed to gain the loyalty of its people, defied the cruel invading King Edward I of England, and struck fear into his enemies. He was a real hero for all the Scots and his name is better known today than most Scottish monarchs, although he was never a king. William Wallace fought just two major battles and emerged with a score of won one and lost one, although in the end he was betrayed and sadly executed. These events were very well represented when Mel Gibson brought to a worldwide audience the famous movie Braveheart in 1995 - in which you can see the type of hero William Wallace was for all the Scots.

The National Wallace Monument

The world-famous National Wallace Monument captures all the drama and intensity of William Wallace's campaign for peace and freedom– proudly standing on the Abbey Craig, overlooking the city of Stirling, a city in central Scotland. This monument commemorates one of the most important Scottish heroes and it was built with the resurgence of Scottish national identity in the 19th century. The tower stands proudly on the Abbey Craig, as it is said that Wallace watched the gathering army of King Edward I of England from that hill, just before the famous Battle of Stirling Bridge in 1297 (that he won). The monument is open to the general public and visitors need to climb the 246 step spiral staircase to the viewing gallery inside the monument's tip, from which you have expansive and fascinating views over the Scottish landscape.

Visit this monument to relive Scottish independence in the central Scottish city of Stirling and find out more about the brave Scott William Wallace, who soon became one of the most important symbols of Scottish identity.