Kilchurn Castle, Medieval castle ruin near Loch Awe, Scotland.
Description
Kilchurn Castle is a ruin on a rocky peninsula at the northeastern end of Loch Awe, featuring a five-story tower house with circular corner turrets. The site originally comprised multiple building complexes arranged around the main tower, which served as the residence and fortress center.
History
Sir Colin Campbell built this fortress in 1450 as the power base for the Campbells of Glenorchy, who controlled central Highland territories. The castle was expanded over the centuries and served as an important family seat until the 18th century.
Culture
The castle appears in several paintings by J.M.W. Turner, who captured its silhouette against the Scottish mountain landscape. Turner visited the area multiple times, making the structure an iconic subject of British Romanticism.
Practical
You can visit the ruins from April through September, reaching the site via a path that connects to the former island. The terrain is uneven and often wet, so sturdy footwear and weather protection are recommended.
Did you know?
A lightning strike in 1760 damaged the structure severely, leading to the removal of its roof and the gradual abandonment of the site. This dramatic event marked the transition from active fortress to romantic ruin.
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Scotland offers visitors a wide range of historical sites and natural landscapes. This collection moves through castles that have watched over towns and valleys for centuries, through moorlands and mountains in the Highlands, along lochs, and to coastlines where the sea meets rock. It also includes...
Scotland offers photographers a wide range of landscapes and historical sites. This collection includes coastal formations like Bow Fiddle Rock and Sandwood Bay, medieval fortresses such as Edinburgh Castle and Stirling Castle, and mountains and glens like Glencoe and the Cairngorms. On the Isle of...
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