The National Wallace Monument stands on Abbey Craig, a rocky crag above the River Forth about two kilometres from Stirling town centre. The 67-metre tower, completed in 1869, was built to commemorate William Wallace, the Scottish knight who led the Scottish resistance against Edward I of England and won the Battle of Stirling Bridge in 1297 on the flat ground below the crag. The monument is visible from most of Stirling on a clear day, and the view from its top — across the carse to the castle, the Forth winding below, and the Highland line beyond — is superb.
Inside the tower, a series of chambers houses exhibitions on Wallace's life and the Battle of Stirling Bridge, including the supposed two-handed sword of Wallace himself — a five-foot blade whose actual provenance is disputed but whose presence in the exhibition adds a certain dramatic weight. The "Hall of Heroes" above contains marble busts of notable Scots from Burns to Livingstone. The 246 steps to the top are steep and the staircase is narrow; the ascent is worth it on a clear day.
Getting there requires either a half-hour walk from the town centre or a shuttle bus that runs from the car park at the base. The path up the crag from the visitor centre is well-made but fairly steep. Allow about two hours including travel time from town.