Built on a strategic point overlooking the Stirling valley the Wallace Monument is built on the crag from which Scottish rebel Sir William Wallace charged his forces down to swarm over the English and claim a great victory at the 1297 Battle of Stirling Bridge.

Inside the 1869 monument there's a run-down of Wallace's life, particularly the bits between his initial rebellion and brutal 1305 execution. It's partly done by a free audio tour.

Highlights include his sword, and a life-sized – and talking – model of him. Note how his portrayal has changed over the years: from the aloof and dignified 19th-century statues and stained glass here to his more recent wild and unkempt statue in the car park. Much of that latter image is the work of the popular, if historically inaccurate, 1995 film Braveheart (trailer). The monument has become HQ for the film's fans ever since.