Skip to content

Inverness Castle officially opens after £47m upgrade

Cameron Angus-MackayBBC Scotland News
News imageBBC A view of Inverness Castle an imposing sandstone building across lawns with a statue in front of itBBC
It is hoped the revamped castle will attract hundreds of thousands of visitors

Inverness Castle has been officially opened following its £47m transformation into a visitor attraction.

The ceremony was attended by Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes and Scotland Office Minister Kirsty McNeill.

Work to revamp the former sheriff court and prison started in 2022.

The new Inverness Castle Experience features an interactive journey through Highland history and culture. The site also has a bar and bistro.

Highland Council said the castle was expected to attract about 450,000 visitors a year.

The cost of converting the property, on a hilltop above the city centre, has been covered by the UK and Scottish governments, Highland Council and Highlands and Islands Enterprise.

The visitor destination employs more than 100 people.

Forbes said: "Inverness Castle is an iconic landmark at the heart of the Highlands."

The completion of the project was a "significant achievement" for the region, added McNeill.

The site will be operated and managed by High Life Highland on behalf of the local authority.

News imageGetty Images A sepia photograph of Inverness riverside with a row of cottages, a church and in the distance the hilltop castle. A boy in a cap and pulling a barrow is talking to a man wearing a cap. A group of women and children stand by the cottages and other people are standing near the river.Getty Images
The castle, pictured in a photograph taken in 1865, was built for use as a court and prison

The Scottish Courts and Tribunal Service moved out of the castle in 2020.

The sandstone building was constructed in 1830s and 1840s to plans drawn by architect William Burn.

It was built on Castle Hill, which overlooks the city and the River Ness.

The property's north block served as a prison.

News imageHighland Council Three people stand in front of Inverness Castle they are, from left to right, a man in a kilt with a blue jacket and tie and a bald head, a woman with long reddish-brown hair and a woman with dark hair and a dark jacket. The two women are holding a golden sign describing the castle experience.Highland Council
Representatives of the council and the UK and Scottish governments attended the opening