Photos of Amazing Picturesque Castles of Scotland

Towering Delusions – Picturesque Castles of Scotland and Fortifications Photo Wall Art Prints

Art Photos of Amazing Picturesque Castles of Scotland & Fortifications Wall Art Prints – Colour panoramic photos exploring the picturesque ruins of the great castles and fortifications of Scotland. There are many enigmatic castles in Scotland, some on their own little islands in lochs and others in the highland mountains. The oldest fortifications are the Iron Age Brochs of which a few remain, the best being depicted in this gallery.

Photos of Scottish Picturesque Castles

Some of the most popular tourist destinations are the ruins of the great castles and fortifications our ancestors built. 10,000 years ago the first known defensive walls were built around Jericho. Since then cities and castles have been built to protect the wealth and power of their owners.

All subsequent civilisations have built fortifications either of wood, mud brick or stone. Castle building ceased only when the cannon was invented which could destroy the defensive walls so making them redundant.

Once they were no longer of any use castles slowly fell into ruins which, in the 17th century, became favourite subjects of painters. Myths grew up around castles of a bygone age of chivalrous knights and fair maiden locked in towers.

Today their powerful owners are largely forgotten and castles have become places for a day out and a picnic with the children. I hope you enjoy these photos and the shattered past glories they depict.

Photo of Eilean Donan Castle Scotland

Eilean Donan Castle is visible on a small rocky offshore Island heralding the western Isles of Scotland that lay beyond. It is believed that in the 5th century the Celtic saint Donnan of Eigg built a small church on the Island before he was martyred in 617.

During its lifetime Eilean Donan Castle has seen plenty of action as waring Clans endlessly struggled to gain power of the Highlands and Isles. In the 1500’s and 1600’s the castle was taken and retaken in power struggles eventually leading the the Jacobite uprising in 1715 when Eilean Donan Castle was taken by George Keith, 10th Earl Marischal 

Photos of the Broch of Gurness

The Broch of Gurness was an iron Age settlement which began between 500 to 200 BC. Typically a broch has a defensive tower in which a clan chieftain and his family lived. Around this tower were clustered stone dwellings of other clan members, sheds and storage buildingsl. Many broch ruins to be found throughout Scotland of varying sizes but few are in good repair.

Photos of Dun Carloway Brock Lewis

 Dun Carloway was probably built in the 1st century AD and is the best preserved broch in the outer Hebrides.  It is not known how high Dun Carloway tower reached but today the highest ruined wall reaches 9.5 meters.

The tower has a single entrance that led to a small guard room. Brochs have inner and auter wall between which stone staircases led up to the higher floors and roof parapet and thatched roof. by the 1600’s Dun Carloway was not inhabited but was used as a defensive refuge by the Morrisons clan who were notorious cattle rustlers.