Wallace Monument, Scotland

The National Wallace Monument, also known as the Wallace Monument, is a tower that stands on the Abbey Craig's shoulder. It overlooks Stirling in Scotland. It is dedicated to Sir William Wallace, a hero from the 13th and 14th centuries in Scotland. For an admission fee, the tower is open to the public. The tower has 246 steps leading to the final observation platform. Three exhibition rooms are located within the tower's body.

The National Wallace Monument

William Wallace Monument

The Victorian Gothic Tower is located on Craig Abbey, a volcanic rock above Abbey Craig, three kilometres north of Stirling. The monument was designed by Glasgow-born architect John Thomas Rochead and built between 1861 and 1869. It is said to have cost over £ 18,000 at the time.

The monument contains a number of artefacts that are believed to be Wallace's. These include the Wallace Sword, which is a 1.63m long sword that weighs almost three kilograms (7 pounds) and was found in the 5.4in diameter. Also inside is a Hall of Heroes, which features busts of prominent Scots. It effectively serves as a national Hall of Fame. Robert the Bruce and John Knox are the heroes. Allan Ramsay, Robert Burns, and Robert Tannahill are also included. In 2017, Mary Slessor and Maggie Keswick Jencks were announced to become the first heroes to be honoured in the hall.

Wallace was defeated at the Battle of Falkirk in July 1298. Seven years later, in August 1305, he was betrayed and arrested in Robroyston and handed over to King Edward I of England, who hanged him, and since then, he has become a symbol of Scotland and freedom.

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William Wallace Memorial

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Braveheart statue

Braveheart Statue

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Tom Church, inspired by the 1996 film Braveheart, carved a statue called Freedom of Wallace. It features Mel Gibson's face, who played William Wallace in Braveheart. The statue was leased by the Church to Stirling Council, which installed it at the foot of the crag in the car park of the visitor centre. It was a deeply hated piece of public art and was described as "among Scotland's most hated". It was frequently vandalised before being put in a cage to protect it from further damage. The statue was removed in 2008 due to plans to expand the visitor centre, which included a new restaurant and reception area. After a failed attempt to sell it at auction, Church returned it to the Church. There, it was turned into a replica castle, and the head of the decapitated governor from York was added to it. Local media reported that the statue could be moved to Ardrossan’s Barony Church in April 2016.