Photo: Sam Styles / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)
About this place
Falkland Palace in Fife was built primarily between 1501 and 1541 by James IV and James V, with the major French Renaissance transformation taking place in the 1530s and early 1540s.
It served as the favoured country retreat of the Stuart monarchs, and the palace retains much of its original French Renaissance architecture, which is unusually intact for Scotland.
Mary Queen of Scots visited during her reign from 1561, and the palace is said to have reminded her of her time in France.
The National Trust for Scotland has cared for the property since 1952.
The royal tennis court within the grounds dates from 1539, making it the oldest in Britain still in use.
Plan your visit
Open March to October; check the official NTS website for exact dates and times.