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Stirling

Stirling
Stirling(DonaldMacDonald)Dec2005.jpg
Stirling city centre
Stirling is located in Stirling
Stirling
Stirling
Stirling shown within the Stirling council area
Population 45,750 Census 2011
OS grid reference NS795935
• Edinburgh 43 mi (69 km)
Civil parish
  • Stirling
Council area
Lieutenancy area
Country Scotland
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Post town STIRLING
Postcode district FK7-FK9
Dialling code 01786
Police Scottish
Fire Scottish
Ambulance Scottish
EU Parliament Scotland
UK Parliament
Scottish Parliament
List of places
UK
Scotland
Coordinates: 56°07′02″N 3°56′23″W / 56.117222°N 3.939722°W / 56.117222; -3.939722

Stirling (/ˈstɜːrlɪŋ/; Scots: Stirlin; Scottish Gaelic: Sruighlea [ˈs̪t̪ruʝlə]) is a city in central Scotland. The city is clustered around a large fortress and medieval old town. Stirling is the administrative centre for the Stirling council area, and is traditionally the county town of Stirlingshire. The city is located several miles to the west of the mouth of the River Forth. Historically it was strategically important as the "Gateway to the Highlands", with its position near the Highland Boundary Fault between the Scottish Lowlands and Highlands and has been described as the brooch which clasps the Highlands and the Lowlands together.

Its historical position as the nearest crossing of the Forth to the river mouth meant that it attracted invaders. The beast of Stirling is the wolf. According to legend, when Stirling was under attack from Viking invaders, a wolf howled, alerting the townspeople in time to save the town.

Once the capital of Scotland, Stirling contains the Great Hall (restored 1999) and the Renaissance Palace (restoration completed 2011) within Stirling Castle. Stirling also has its medieval parish church, the Church of the Holy Rude, where King James VI was crowned King of Scots on 29 July 1567. The Holy Rude still functions, with a service every Sunday.


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