Queen of the castle
Balmoral Castle was a present for Queen Victoria from
her husband, Prince Albert, in 1852. The countryside
around the castle is spectacular, and includes Lochnagar,
a mountain 1,160 metres high. The royal couple decided
that the original castle was too small, so they built a new
one. They completed it in 1856, with a beautiful tower
about 30 metres high. The castle and its grounds have
belonged to the British royal family since that time, and
each new generation has improved the property. Today,
the Queen and her family always stay at Balmoral when
they visit Scotland. The castle has been open to the public
for over 35 years, but visitors can only enter the ballroom
– the other rooms are the Queen’s private residence.