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You cannot see live unicorns in Scotland — but you can see hundreds of carved, painted, woven, and cast-iron ones. Scotland’s national animal is hiding in plain sight: on castles, warships, market crosses, fountains, and even lampposts.
Here are 12 real places where you can go unicorn-spotting, ordered as a trail from Edinburgh outward. New to the story? Start with why the unicorn became Scotland’s national animal — then come back and hunt them down.
Quick Answer: The Best Unicorn Spots at a Glance
| # | Place | What you’ll see | City/Area |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Edinburgh Castle | Unicorns on the gatehouse and Crown Jewels | Edinburgh |
| 2 | Palace of Holyroodhouse | Carved unicorns on gates, walls, ceilings | Edinburgh |
| 3 | Stirling Castle | The Hunt of the Unicorn tapestries | Stirling |
| 4 | HMS Unicorn | Figurehead of a 200-year-old warship | Dundee |
| 5 | Linlithgow Palace | Unicorns on the famous fountain | West Lothian |
| 6 | St Giles’ Cathedral | Unicorns in the Thistle Chapel | Edinburgh |
| 7 | Mercat Cross | Unicorn atop the Royal Mile cross | Edinburgh |
| 8 | Mercat Cross | Unicorn statue at Castlegate | Aberdeen |
| 9 | Market crosses | Unicorns in six historic towns | Dunfermline, Jedburgh & more |
| 10 | Doulton Fountain unicorn | Bronze-horned Victorian unicorn | Glasgow |
| 11 | Masonic Pillars | Unicorn-topped pillars in the park | Edinburgh |
| 12 | Falkland village centre | Unicorn statue in Outlander country | Fife |
1. Edinburgh Castle
Start at Scotland’s most visited castle — and its most heavily guarded unicorns. Carved unicorns stand watch over the castle’s gatehouse and walls, and more hide among the Crown Jewels of Scotland inside. The Honours of Scotland (the crown, sceptre, and sword of state) sit in the Crown Room, surrounded by centuries of unicorn heraldry. The castle also hosts unicorn sculptures outside the National War Museum. Arrive early: this is Scotland’s top paid attraction, and the unicorns share the crowds with over a million visitors a year. Plan your visit at the official Edinburgh Castle site.
2. Palace of Holyroodhouse, Edinburgh
At the other end of the Royal Mile from the castle sits the King’s official residence in Scotland — and it is crawling with unicorns. The Royal Collection Trust notes that unicorns appear on the palace’s gateposts, carved into its walls, and set into its plaster ceilings. James IV built a gate lodge here in the early 1500s. It is long gone now. But one rare survivor stands on its site: a large, carved and painted stone unicorn. It is one of the oldest in the country. The Queen’s Gallery next door is another prime unicorn-spotting stop on the Royal Mile trail.
3. Stirling Castle — The Unicorn Tapestries
This is the crown jewel of unicorn-spotting. In the Queen’s Inner Hall hang seven enormous hand-woven tapestries recreating “The Mystic Hunt of the Unicorn,” based on originals made in the Low Countries in the early 1500s. Historic Scotland ordered the recreations in 2001. A team of 18 weavers from around the world stitched them. The work took 13 years. The last tapestry was finished in 2015. The total cost was around £2 million. Standing among them, surrounded by hunters, hounds, and the doomed beast, is the closest you will come to stepping inside a medieval unicorn legend. See visitor details at Historic Environment Scotland.
4. HMS Unicorn, Dundee
Scotland’s only water-based unicorn is also one of the oldest ships on Earth. HMS Unicorn is a wooden sailing frigate. She was launched in 1824 and has called Dundee home since 1873. She is Scotland’s only surviving wooden warship. She is also the sixth oldest ship in the world. Her figurehead — a proud unicorn — still juts from the bow. The ship never saw battle. She was finished just as the age of sail was ending. That is why she survived in such good shape. Today she is a floating museum, and her unicorn is Dundee’s most photographed mythical beast.
5. Linlithgow Palace, West Lothian
The birthplace of Mary, Queen of Scots hides unicorns in its stonework. Look for them dotted around the palace — from the elaborate three-tiered fountain in the central courtyard to the carved ceiling bosses overhead. This was a favorite haunt of the Stewart kings, and they stamped their unicorn symbol all over it. The palace is a romantic ruin now, roofless but magnificent, and the unicorns are easiest to spot on a quiet weekday morning before the tour buses arrive.
6. St Giles’ Cathedral, Edinburgh
Halfway down the Royal Mile, Edinburgh’s great medieval kirk holds one of the country’s finest hidden unicorn collections: the Thistle Chapel, built for the Knights of the Thistle. Its carved stalls, canopies, and heraldic panels swarm with unicorns wearing their golden chains. The chapel is small. Many visitors rush past it on their way between the castle and the palace. That makes finding its unicorns feel like a real discovery. It sits on the Royal Mile unicorn trail. The trail links the castle, the cathedral, the Mercat Cross, and Holyrood.
7. Mercat Cross, Edinburgh (Royal Mile)
Every historic Scottish burgh had a mercat cross marking its market square — and most crowned theirs with a unicorn. Edinburgh’s stands on the Royal Mile near St Giles’, topped by the chained beast in stone. For centuries, royal proclamations were read from its steps, with the unicorn literally overseeing the news. It is the easiest unicorn in Scotland to photograph: no ticket, no queue, right on the pavement.
8. Mercat Cross, Aberdeen (Castlegate)
Head north to Aberdeen’s Castlegate, where a proud unicorn statue stands atop the city’s Mercat Cross. Aberdeen is one of Scotland’s seven cities, and like each of them, its cross carries the national animal. The granite city gives its unicorn a sterner, northern look — fitting for a beast that symbolizes an untameable spirit. Combine it with a walk around the old Castlegate for the full historic Aberdeen experience.
9. The Market Crosses of Six Historic Towns
One entry, six unicorns — the market crosses of Dunfermline, Jedburgh, Melrose, Culross, Crail, and Cupar all feature the chained beast. These are the quiet, crowd-free unicorns: weathered stone animals in small town squares that most tourists never reach. Dunfermline’s cross is the grandest. The town was once Scotland’s capital. Culross and Crail give you perfect postcard views, with cobbled streets and pantiled roofs. If you want a unicorn all to yourself, this is the hunt.
10. The Doulton Unicorn, Springburn Park, Glasgow
Glasgow’s unicorn has the strangest backstory. It once topped a terracotta fountain built by the Doulton company in 1912 at Balgray Recreation Ground. The grounds closed around 1970. The fountain was knocked down. But the unicorn and its column survived. They were moved to Springburn Park. Look closely and you will notice something odd: the unicorn’s horn is made of bronze, not terracotta like the rest. A Victorian industrial unicorn with a metal horn, standing in a public park — only in Glasgow.
11. The Masonic Pillars, The Meadows, Edinburgh
In the Meadows parkland stand three pairs of pillars, each topped by a unicorn — except the 1881 set at the east entrance to Melville Drive, which features a unicorn and its old adversary, the lion, side by side. The pillars were put up for the Edinburgh International Exhibition of 1886. The 1881 pair was a gift from Nelsons Printers. It is a lovely, free, open-air unicorn hunt — bring a picnic and see if you can spot all seven beasts.
12. Falkland, Fife — Outlander Country
The Fife village of Falkland starred as Inverness in the TV series Outlander — and right in its center stands a unicorn statue. Falkland Palace nearby was another Stewart royal haunt, so the unicorn fits right in. This is the most charming stop on the trail: a storybook village square, a royal palace, and the national animal watching over it all. A perfect final photo for your unicorn hunt.
Planning Your Unicorn Trail
Best order: Do Edinburgh (spots 1, 2, 6, 7, 11) in one day on foot along the Royal Mile, then Stirling and Linlithgow on day two, Dundee and Fife on day three, Glasgow and Aberdeen if you have longer.
Best time: April 9th is National Unicorn Day in Scotland, when events and unicorn hunts pop up across the country. Spring and early autumn give the best light for photographing stone unicorns.
Tickets: Edinburgh Castle, Holyroodhouse, Stirling Castle, and HMS Unicorn all charge admission — book ahead in summer. Everything else on this list is free.
Key Takeaways
- Scotland’s unicorn appears in 12+ real locations — castles, warships, cathedrals, market crosses, and parks.
- Stirling Castle’s unicorn tapestries are the single most impressive sight: 13 years in the making.
- HMS Unicorn in Dundee is the sixth oldest ship in the world, with a unicorn figurehead.
- Every historic Scottish market cross was traditionally crowned with a unicorn.
- April 9th is National Unicorn Day — the best time for a unicorn hunt.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is the best place to see unicorns in Scotland?
Stirling Castle, for the seven Hunt of the Unicorn tapestries — a £2 million, 13-year recreation project. For outdoor unicorns, Edinburgh’s Royal Mile packs the castle, St Giles’ Cathedral, the Mercat Cross, and Holyroodhouse into one walk.
Is there a real unicorn trail in Scotland?
Yes. VisitScotland promotes unicorn-spotting. Edinburgh also has an informal Royal Mile unicorn trail. It links the castle, St Giles’ Cathedral, the Mercat Cross, and the Palace of Holyroodhouse. April 9th, National Unicorn Day, is the biggest celebration.
What is HMS Unicorn?
A wooden sailing frigate launched in 1824, now moored in Dundee. She is Scotland’s only surviving wooden warship and the sixth oldest ship in the world, with a unicorn figurehead on her bow. She works as a floating museum.
Why are there unicorns on Scottish market crosses?
The unicorn has been Scotland’s royal symbol since the 1100s. Market crosses marked the center of royal burghs, so crowning them with the national animal was a statement of loyalty to the crown. Crosses in Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Dunfermline, Jedburgh, Melrose, Culross, Crail, and Cupar all feature unicorns.
Can you see the unicorn tapestries at Stirling Castle?
Yes. Seven recreated Hunt of the Unicorn tapestries hang in the Queen’s Inner Hall. They were woven by 18 weavers over 13 years. The last one was finished in 2015. They are based on originals from the early 1500s.
What is the Doulton Unicorn in Glasgow?
A Victorian unicorn that once topped a 1912 Doulton terracotta fountain. When the fountain was demolished around 1970, the unicorn survived and was moved to Springburn Park — where its bronze horn still stands out against the terracotta.
When is National Unicorn Day?
April 9th. Scotland celebrates its national animal with events, unicorn hunts, and festivities across the country.
How does the unicorn vs lion rivalry fit in?
The unicorn (Scotland) and lion (England) have shared the royal coat of arms since the 1603 Union of the Crowns. Read the full story of their 400-year rivalry — including why the unicorn wears a golden chain.
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