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In Edinburgh Castle, besides taking in the commanding view of the City of Edinburgh, you can see Scotland's very own Crown Jewels(also known as the "Honours of Scotland") and the famous Stone of Destiny. The Scottish crown jewels were left in Scotland when King James VI of Scotland inherited the English throne. The Treaty of the Union in 1707 united the Scottish and English parliaments in London, and the Scottish regalia stayed in Scotland. They consist of a magnificent crown, a sword and a sceptre.
Edinburgh Castle also holds the famous Stone of Destiny,(the "Stone of Scone") after its long absence in England. It is said to be the ancient stone upon which Scottish kings were crowned. It is an oblong block of red sandstone and legend has it that it was the pillow stone used by the Biblical Jacob. As far back as 847 Scottish monarchs were seated upon this stone at the time of their coronation. It was then situated at Scone Palace,(it is also called the "Stone of Scone") near Perth Scotland. In 1296 it was captured by Edward 1 as spoils of war, and taken to Westminster Abbey in London, England. There it was fitted into a wooden chair. All English sovereigns since Queen Mary have been crowned on it since then. 
On Christmas Day in 1950 four students removed it in an attempt to take it back to Scotland but it was retrieved and returned to England. However, in 1996 the British Government decided that the Stone should be kept in Scotland. On 15 November 1996, after a ceremonious handover at the border between representatives of the Home Office and of the Scottish Office, it was returned to Scotland and transported to Edinburgh Castle where it remains to this day.
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