Culzean Castle

Culzean Castle is one of Scotland's most popular castles. It is managed by the National Trust for Scotland and lies in a picturesque spot on the cliff tops about 12mi/19.2km south of Ayr.

A fortress had stood on this spot since the 14th C, but in the 18th C it was transformed into a "picture-book" castle. The ninth Earl of Cassillis Sir Thomas Kennedy had a new wing added on the seaward side and in 1777 his brother David the 10th Earl of Cassillis commissioned Robert Adam the celebrated Classical architect to rebuild it in Italian style. Two wings were soon added complete with small corner towers, parapet and ornate window sills. In 1785 the "Sir Thomas" wing with a huge drum tower was built to overlook the cliff. Adam's strength lay in his ability to combine the elegance of Georgian symmetry with attractive Romantic features. Enter the castle through the Front Hall (1870) and pass the Armory with its extensive collection of pistols before reaching the old Dining Hall where the ceiling is decorated with paintings by Antonio Zucchi. The furniture in the dining hall is in Chippendale style and dates from the early 19th century. Delicate pastel shades and a Classical balustrade with Doric, Corinthian and Ionic columns enhance the light, oval staircase beneath a round dome. From the circular Saloon the view of the sea, sky and mountain contrasts strikingly with the serene elegance of the immediate surroundings. The pink tones of the locally woven carpet complement the pastel arabesques on the stucco ceiling which were restored between 1968 and 1974 based on Robert Adam's original watercolor. The watercolor hangs by the door to the Saloon. Lord Cassillis' chamber with Chippendale and Regency furniture is characterized by warm beiges and greens.

Pleasing color combinations enhance the other rooms such as the recently renovated Best Bedroom and the Picture Room, hung with a view of Culzean by Alexander Nasmyth and a portrait (1764) of the 10th Earl of Cassillis painted by Pompeo Batoni in Rome. There is a guest suite on the first floor. President Eisenhower was granted the right to stay in Culzean Castle whenever he wished and a portrait of the general hangs in a side room, together with other Eisenhower memorabilia.