Perched high above the city on a 340 million year old extinct volcano, Edinburgh Castle [3] is an awe-inspiring sight and recognised all over the world.

Dominating the skyline for miles around, the mighty fortress has played a vital and vivid role in Scottish history, always central to the social and political climate of the time.

Edinburgh Castle is undergoing a transformation to carry people through its gates and around its grounds in a better way - getting them closer to the true colours of the castle. On 3 October 2007, Historic Scotland's Edinburgh Castle Visitor Reception Project will reach an exciting point with the launch of the new Edinburgh Castle brand identity.

The new, colourful mark encompasses all the components of this iconic attraction - depicting the significance of the castle in Scottish history. The castle, undeniably in itself a confident symbol of Scotland, a guardian of the nation's treasures and military history, and a mighty fortress, is indeed the 'Defender of the Nation'.

Rebecca Hamilton, Marketing and Media Manager at Historic Scotland said: ‘The visual image and historic story of Edinburgh Castle create a consistently positive and strong statement for Scotland. As such, it is our top performing property at Historic Scotland, it is part of the World Heritage Site, a globally recognised icon and, without doubt, a must see visitor attraction for Scotland. It is, of course, our aim to provide a world class visitor experience to the 1.2 million people we welcome every year. Edinburgh Castle is something we can, pan-Scotland, all be proud of and this identity makes a strong statement to that end.'

The launch, in the heart of Edinburgh Castle, will involve the unveiling of the new Edinburgh Castle identity. The marque is based on both the lion of Scotland and the castle on the rock which combines the aspects of the Castle's personality.

Key factors in creating the design were:

• the physical presence of Edinburgh Castle in terms of scale and solidarity
• its history as a refuge and fortress
• its role as a guardian in Scottish history
• the self contained feeling of being ‘inside the castle walls’
• it being ‘the ultimate’ Scottish castle experience

This 'Defender of the Nation' identity and styling creates a strong statement about Edinburgh Castle for both locals and visitors to be inspired by.

Barbara Smith, Executive Manager at Edinburgh Castle said: ‘The visitor reception project marks a new era for Edinburgh Castle which continues to be Scotland’s top paid visitor attraction. As we move towards the opening of the new facility in 2008, a number of strands will come into play including new signage, a website, marketing communications and much more. I am delighted to be leading the team at the castle into the next colourful chapter.’

• The investment in the Edinburgh Castle Visitor Reception Project includes:
  • a new terrace and gathering area offering spectacular city views
  • a new ticket office on the terrace
  • online booking and information on events via a new Edinburgh Castle website
  • a sophisticated and swift new onsite electronic ticketing system
  • a newly set up 'Front of House' team charged with greeting visitors.