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The National Wallace Monument (generally known as the Wallace Monument) is a tower standing on the summit of Abbey Craig, a hilltop near Stirling in Scotland. It commemorates Sir William Wallace, the 13th century Scottish hero. 1
The tower was constructed following a fundraising campaign which accompanied a resurgence of Scottish national identity in the 19th century. In addition to public subscription, it was partially funded by contributions from a number of foreign donors, including Italian national leader Giuseppe Garibaldi. Completed in 1869 to the designs of architect John Thomas Rochead, the monument is a 220 foot sandstone tower, built in the Victorian Gothic style. It stands on the Abbey Craig, a volcanic crag above Cambuskenneth Abbey, from which Wallace was said to have watched the gathering of the army of English king Edward I, just before the Battle of Stirling Bridge.
The monument is open to the general public. Visitors climb the 246 step spiral staircase to the viewing gallery inside the monument's crown, which provides expansive views of the Ochil Hills and the Forth Valley.
A number of artifacts believed to belong to Wallace are on display inside the monument, including the Wallace Sword, a 5 foot 6 inch-long claymore.
Braveheart: cultural significance
In 1997, a statue of “William Wallace” was placed in the car park of the Wallace Monument. The statue however appeared not to resemble the historic face of Wallace; rather it seemed to be modelled after Mel Gibson's appearance as Wallace in the film Braveheart. Wallace’s shield even reads the word ‘Braveheart’ as can be seen on the image on the right.
William Temby2 claimed that Scottish people found this disturbing and that groups have agitated for the removal of the statue due to its obvious lack of authenticity. Officials denied this request, and the statue has been subject to regular vandalism. As a result it was, incongruously for a sculpture that bears the word "freedom", enclosed in a security fence.[1] According to the Rampant Scotland Newsletter, as of September 2004, with the lease for the space it occupies due to expire, the statue was for sale at an asking price of £350,000 with no takers.[2] This discontent may be responsible for noticeable damage inflicted upon the statue's nose.The statue was removed in 2008 to make way for an extension to the visitor centre including a new restaurant and reception. Ken Thomson, of Stirling District Tourism who run the monument, said that the expectations of visitors were continually increasing and that it has been some time since there was work done to improve car parking and restaurant facilities at the site. A housing estate has also been built on the site of the former Sword hotel at the base of the monument, detracting from the natural beauty of the area and in the eyes of visitors, spoiling the scenic approach to building.
References
- ^ Official Website of The National Wallace Monument, Stirling, Scotland
- ^ William Temby (2004-04-12). "Braveheart, wrong head: the cinimazation of history", The Daily Cardinal. Retrieved on 7 September 2006.
External links
- National Wallace Monument Official Website
- Undiscovered Scotland: The Wallace Monument
- In Stirling's page on the monument
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- This page was last modified on 21 November 2008, at 12:08.
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