Dunrobin Castle

Sutherland, United Kingdom

---

Dunrobin Castle in Sutherland, Scotland, originally dates back to the Middle Ages, with its earliest parts, a fortified square keep, built around 1401.

It evolved from a medieval fortress with thick stone walls and vaulted ceilings into a grand Scottish Baronial mansion between 1835 and 1850 under the architect Sir Charles Barry, who also designed the Palace of Westminster.

The castle features French château-style elements such as conical spires and turrets, blending Renaissance elegance with traditional Scottish architecture. It is the largest residence in the northern Highlands with 189 rooms and includes gardens inspired by the French formal style of Versailles, laid out by Barry in the mid-19th century. Over the centuries, Dunrobin has been home to the Earls and Dukes of Sutherland and remains a significant historic and architectural landmark with a fairy-tale appearance overlooking the Moray Firth.