Dunfermline Palace is a ruined royal residence adjacent to the abbey, occupying the site of the guesthouse that was progressively expanded into a substantial palace over the course of the 14th and 15th centuries. The most intact surviving section is the northwest tower, which stands to its full height and includes the room where Charles I was born in 1600.
Historic Environment Scotland maintains the ruins, which are accessible through Pittencrieff Park at no charge. The walls and roofless great hall give a strong sense of the scale of the former palace. The position — on the edge of the ravine above the park, adjacent to the abbey — was clearly chosen for its commanding views over the Forth valley.