Inverness Castle

Red sandstone Victorian castle on a cliff above the River Ness — now open as a visitor experience

Inverness Castle stands on a red sandstone cliff above the River Ness, its two towers visible from most of the city centre. The present building is Victorian — designed by William Burn and completed in 1836 — and served as the county courthouse and jail until a new justice centre opened nearby in 2022.

The castle has recently been developed as a visitor attraction with exhibitions on Highland history and spectacular views over the river and city from the battlements. The statue of Flora MacDonald, who helped Bonnie Prince Charlie escape after Culloden, stands at the entrance. The riverside gardens below the castle are pleasant for a stroll, with good views back up to the fortifications.

things to do sight
A story
Shakespeare set Macbeth's castle at Inverness, but the original fortification was demolished long before the present Victorian building was constructed. The red sandstone structure you see today was built in 1836 as a courthouse — a fact that has not stopped generations of tourists arriving to look for the Scottish king's ghost.