Description of the attraction
There are hardly any sights in the whole of Britain that are more romantic than Scottish castles. Scottish castles-palaces of the 17th century combine the severity of mountain fortresses, the grace of French châteaux, the sophistication of the Baroque style and the sublimity of the Gothic. Drumlanrig's famous "Pink Palace" is without doubt one of the finest examples of Renaissance architecture in Scotland. The pink sandstone building was built on the site of the former Douglas fortress by William Douglas, 1st Duke of Queensberry. The castle has 120 rooms, four large towers and 17 turrets.
The castle now houses an excellent collection of art, including paintings such as Rembrandt's Elderly Woman Reading and Leonardo da Vinci's Madonna with a Spindle.
The castle is famous for its gardens. There is also a formal French garden, laid out in the 17th-18th centuries, and natural English, and a rose garden, and a collection of rhododendrons. In the gift shop, you can buy seedlings so that a piece of these beautiful gardens lives in your garden.
Many animals and birds can be seen in the forests of the estate, and nature lovers and hikers often come here. Also, these places are very popular with those who are fond of extreme sports, because there are excellent mountain bike trails. There are also special tracks for off-road vehicles - for those who like to drive off-road.
