Edinburgh Castle, Scotland

Edinburgh Castle dominates the skyline from a volcanic rock 130 metres above the city, with a history spanning over 3,000 years as a royal residence, military garrison, and national symbol. It houses the Honours of Scotland — the oldest crown jewels in Britain, dating to 1540 — and the Stone of Destiny, used in coronations for 700 years. As Scotland's most visited attraction, it draws 2.2 million visitors per year, outranking #3 Château de Chambord by nearly a million, and its crown jewels are 200 years older than those at Prague Castle.