The National Wallace Monument is a 67-metre (220-foot) Victorian Gothic tower on the Abbey Craig, a crag just outside Stirling, built between 1861 and 1869 to commemorate Sir William Wallace and his victory at the Battle of Stirling Bridge in 1297. Inside, a 246-step spiral staircase climbs through three exhibition galleries, including the Hall of Heroes and the display of the Wallace Sword, to the Crown at the top, with 360-degree views over Stirling and the Forth Valley. It’s open daily, parking is free, and the Monument recommends allowing at least an hour for a visit.

History of the Wallace Monument

William Wallace and the Battle of Stirling Bridge, 1297

William Wallace rose to prominence in 1297 as a leader of the Scottish resistance to Edward I of England, who had taken control of Scotland the year before. On 11 September 1297, Wallace and Andrew Moray met an English army at Stirling Bridge, where the narrow wooden crossing over the River Forth forced the English to advance a few men at a time. The Scots attacked once part of the army had crossed, and won a decisive victory. The Abbey Craig, where the Monument now stands, is traditionally said to be the spot from which Wallace watched the English army gather before the battle.

William Wallace: Guardian, Falkirk and Execution in 1305

William Wallace was named Guardian of Scotland after Stirling Bridge, but his army was defeated by Edward I at the Battle of Falkirk in 1298, and he resigned the guardianship soon afterwards. He spent the following years on diplomacy abroad and continued resistance at home until his capture near Glasgow in 1305. Taken to London, he was tried for treason at Westminster Hall and executed at Smithfield on 23 August 1305, where he was hanged, drawn and quartered. His head was displayed on London Bridge and his limbs sent to towns in England and Scotland as a warning, which is why Wallace has no grave. A memorial plaque near the site of his execution, on the wall of St Bartholomew’s Hospital in Smithfield, is the closest thing to one.

Building the National Wallace Monument, 1851–1869

The National Wallace Monument grew out of the surge of Scottish national feeling in the mid-19th century. A fundraising campaign began in Glasgow in 1851, led first by the Reverend Charles Rogers and later by William Burns, and drew donations from abroad as well as at home, including, famously, from the Italian nationalist leader Giuseppe Garibaldi. The design competition was won by the Glasgow architect John Thomas Rochead with a Victorian Gothic tower topped by a stone crown. The foundation stone was laid in 1861 by the Duke of Atholl, as Grand Master Mason of Scotland, and the tower was completed in 1869 at a cost of around £18,000. It is now a Category A listed building.

The Wallace Sword

The Wallace Sword is the Monument’s most famous exhibit: a two-handed longsword about 1.63 metres (5 feet 4 inches) long and weighing around 2.35 kilograms. It has been displayed at the Monument since the 19th century, having previously been kept at Dumbarton Castle. It’s worth knowing that its link to Wallace rests on tradition rather than contemporary record, and the sword appears to have been altered and remounted over the centuries, so historians treat the attribution with caution. The sword’s sheer length is also the source of the popular belief that Wallace was exceptionally tall; no reliable record of his height survives.

The Hall of Heroes

The Hall of Heroes is a gallery of marble busts of celebrated Scots, effectively a small national hall of fame. It includes Robert the Bruce, Robert Burns, Sir Walter Scott, Adam Smith, James Watt, David Livingstone and Thomas Carlyle among others. For more than a century it featured only men; in 2017 the Monument announced the missionary Mary Slessor and Maggie Keswick Jencks, founder of the Maggie’s cancer care centres, as the first heroines to be celebrated there.

The Braveheart Statue

The Monument’s most notorious episode came in 1997, when a statue of Wallace titled ‘Freedom’, carved by Tom Church and inspired by the 1995 film Braveheart, was installed in the visitor car park. It bore an unmistakable resemblance to Mel Gibson, who played Wallace in the film, and proved deeply unpopular: it was repeatedly vandalised, caged for protection, and removed in 2008 when the visitor centre was redeveloped. It now stands at Glebe Park, the football ground in Brechin. The Monument’s original Victorian statue of Wallace, by the Edinburgh sculptor David Watson Stevenson, remains on the corner of the tower.

Visiting the Wallace Monument: Practical Information

Opening hours: Currently 09:30 to 17:00 daily, with last admission one hour before closing. Hours vary by month, and the Monument closes on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day. In winter, bad weather can change opening times at short notice.

Tickets: An admission charge applies to all visitors, with concession tickets for seniors (60+), children aged 5 to 15, Blue Light Card holders and families, plus a 10% discount for groups of 10 or more. Guests who need assistance can bring one carer free with proof of entitlement. [Current prices to be confirmed from the official booking page before publishing.]

Booking: Timed entry slots can be booked online, which the Monument advises; walk-up tickets are available only when slots allow. On the day, tickets are sold only at the reception desk inside the Monument, not at Legends Coffee House in the car park.

How long to allow: The Monument recommends at least an hour, plus time to get up the hill from the car park.

Wallace Monument Car Park and Shuttle Bus

Car park: Free for all visitors, at the foot of the Abbey Craig. The Monument is signposted from Stirling city centre and from the A91.

Shuttle bus: A free shuttle runs from the car park up to the tower in a few minutes, but it has limited capacity, doesn’t run between 13:00 and 13:30, and is occasionally suspended; the Monument’s website posts a notice on days when it isn’t operating.

Walking up: The alternative is a 15 to 20-minute walk through the woods on the Wallace Way, a path lined with woodcarvings. It’s steep and uneven in places.

Getting There by Public Transport

Train: Stirling has regular rail services from Edinburgh and Glasgow.

Bus: Frequent buses to the Monument leave from Goosecroft Road, opposite Stirling railway station.

Accessibility

All four upper levels, including the Crown, are reached only by the 246-step narrow spiral staircase, so the galleries aren’t accessible to wheelchair users or anyone unable to manage the stairs. The steep path up from the car park is another consideration, especially on days the shuttle isn’t running. The Monument publishes an accessibility page, and can be contacted on 01786 472 140 before your visit.

Nearby

Stirling Castle: Across the Forth on its own crag, and an easy pairing for a full day in Stirling; see our guide to Stirling Castle.

Legends Coffee House: The café at the car park, handy before or after the climb.

Prices last checked: [to be confirmed]
Opening hours last checked: September 2026.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many steps are in the Wallace Monument?

There are 246 steps, on a narrow spiral staircase that links the three exhibition galleries and the Crown at the top of the 67-metre tower. There is no lift.

Is there a car park at the Wallace Monument?

Yes, and it’s free for all visitors. From the car park, a free shuttle bus runs up to the tower, or you can walk the 15 to 20-minute Wallace Way path through the woods.

Where is William Wallace’s sword?

The Wallace Sword is on display inside the National Wallace Monument in Stirling, where it has been kept since the 19th century. Its connection to Wallace rests on tradition rather than contemporary evidence.

Where is William Wallace buried?

Nowhere. After his execution at Smithfield in London in 1305, his body was quartered and displayed in different towns and his head placed on London Bridge, so Wallace has no grave. A memorial plaque stands near the execution site at Smithfield.

How tall was William Wallace?

No one knows. No reliable contemporary record of his height survives. The popular idea that he was a giant largely comes from the length of the Wallace Sword, whose link to him is itself uncertain.

Can you visit the Wallace Monument and Stirling Castle in one day?

Yes. Both are in Stirling, on opposite sides of the River Forth. Allow at least an hour at the Monument plus time for the walk or shuttle from the car park, and book timed tickets for both in advance in busy months.

Is there a café at the Wallace Monument?

Yes. Legends Coffee House is at the car park level, at the foot of the Abbey Craig. Note that it doesn’t sell admission tickets, which are only available inside the Monument or online.

The Wallace Monument and Stirling Castle tell two halves of the same story, from Wallace’s victory in 1297 to the Stewart kings who ruled from the castle rock. Browse more of Scotland’s landmarks and monuments, or return to the Scotland hub.