Braemar Castle
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Braemar Castle is a castle near Braemar in the Aberdeenshire region of Scotland.
The first tower of Braemar Castle was constructed in 1628 by John Erskine, the 7th Earl of Mar to replace the older Kindrochit Castle. An important garrison during the Jacobite uprising, Braemar was attacked and burned by John Farquharson, the Black Colonel of Inverey in 1689, killing John Erskine. The castle was left in ruins until 1748 when it was leased to the government by Clan Farquharson of Invercauld, now to serve as a garrison for Hanoverian troops. In some rooms, graffiti left by the English soldiers can still be seen.
In 1797 the castle was returned to the Farquharson clan and its restoration for use as clan seat begun. The 12th Laird of Invercauld entertained Queen Victoria there while she attended the Braemar Gathering.
It is an L plan castle with a star-shaped curtain wall and three storey angle turrets. The main entrance to the castle retains an original iron yett.
Among the antiques on display within the castle are a Bronze Age sword, the world's largest cairngorm crystal, a rare specimen of blue topaz and a piece of tartan plaid once worn by Bonnie Prince Charlie.
Today, the castle is regarded as the ancestral home of the Farquharson clan and is still owned and occupied by them. Areas of the main building including its dungeons are open to tourists all year round, and the castle chapel and dining room may be rented for weddings and small functions.
