Scotland’s ancient capital, where Robert the Bruce is buried and Andrew Carnegie was born, became a city in 2022.
Dunfermline, in Fife, was the ancient capital of Scotland, where kings and queens lived in a royal palace and were buried in a great abbey. King Malcolm III and his wife, Queen Margaret, made it their home in the eleventh century, and Margaret was later made a saint. Robert the Bruce, the hero of Scottish independence, is buried here.
Dunfermline is also the birthplace of Andrew Carnegie, who rose from a poor weaver’s son to become one of the richest men in the world, and then gave most of his fortune away. It became a city in 2022. This guide covers six things to see and do.
1. Dunfermline Abbey
Dunfermline Abbey was founded in the eleventh century by Queen Margaret as a priory, and it became a great Benedictine abbey under her son, King David I. It was one of the most important religious houses in Scotland. Many Scottish kings and queens were buried here.
The abbey’s Norman nave, with its massive decorated pillars, is one of the finest in Scotland, and it is often compared with Durham Cathedral. Beside it stands the present abbey church, built in the nineteenth century. Around the top of its tower, huge stone letters spell out the words King Robert The Bruce.
Robert the Bruce, who won Scotland’s independence at the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314, was buried here in 1329. His heart was buried separately at Melrose Abbey. His tomb in the abbey church is marked by a brass plate.
The abbey is a place of great peace and history. It is looked after partly by Historic Environment Scotland, and the church is used for worship. Check opening times before you go.
2. Dunfermline Palace
The ruins of Dunfermline Palace stand beside the abbey, overlooking a steep wooded glen. The palace grew from the guest house of the abbey into a royal residence. Its tall walls still stand high above the glen.
King Charles I was born in the palace in 1600, the last monarch to be born in Scotland. His father, King James VI, gave the palace to his queen, Anne of Denmark. After the union of the crowns in 1603, the royal family moved to London, and the palace fell into decay.
Walking among the ruins, you can see the great kitchen and the royal apartments. The views over the glen are lovely. The palace is looked after by Historic Environment Scotland.
The abbey and palace are close together, and can be visited on the same ticket. Allow a couple of hours for both. They are a short walk from the city centre.
3. Andrew Carnegie Birthplace Museum
Andrew Carnegie was born in 1835 in a small weaver’s cottage in Dunfermline. When he was twelve, his family emigrated to America in search of a better life. He went on to build a huge steel company and became one of the richest men in history.
Carnegie believed that the rich had a duty to use their wealth for the good of others. He gave away most of his fortune, paying for thousands of libraries around the world, as well as universities, concert halls and charitable trusts. The first Carnegie library in the world opened in Dunfermline.
The Birthplace Museum is in the cottage where he was born, with a memorial hall beside it. It tells the story of his life and his gifts. It is a fascinating and inspiring visit.
The museum is free to visit. Nearby, the Dunfermline Carnegie Library and Galleries, a striking modern building attached to the original library, has a museum and art gallery. It too is free.
4. Pittencrieff Park
Pittencrieff Park, known locally as the Glen, is a beautiful park in the heart of the city. Andrew Carnegie bought the park and gave it to the people of Dunfermline in 1903. As a boy, he had been forbidden to enter it.
The park has woodland walks, gardens, a glasshouse and a play area. Peacocks roam freely, and their calls echo through the park. It is a lovely place for families.
In the park stand the ruins of Malcolm’s Tower, said to be the site of the castle of King Malcolm III. Pittencrieff House, a seventeenth century house, has exhibitions. The glen runs down below the palace and abbey.
The park is free to visit and open all year. There is a café. It is a peaceful escape in the middle of the city.
5. The Forth Bridges
A few miles south of Dunfermline, three great bridges cross the Firth of Forth side by side, spanning three centuries. The Forth Bridge, a red cantilever railway bridge opened in 1890, is one of the most famous bridges in the world. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Next to it, the Forth Road Bridge, a suspension bridge opened in 1964, now carries buses, taxis, cyclists and walkers. The Queensferry Crossing, a cable stayed bridge opened in 2017, carries most of the road traffic. Seeing all three together is remarkable.
The best views are from North Queensferry on the Fife side, and South Queensferry on the Edinburgh side. You can walk or cycle across the Forth Road Bridge. Boat trips from South Queensferry sail under the bridges and out to Inchcolm Island, with its ruined abbey.
Deep Sea World, an aquarium at North Queensferry, has one of the longest underwater tunnels in the world. It is great for families. A car makes it easy to visit the bridges and the coast.
6. Culross and the Fife coast
Culross, about fifteen minutes west of Dunfermline, is one of the best preserved seventeenth century villages in Scotland. Its cobbled streets, whitewashed houses with red roofs and the yellow painted Culross Palace are looked after by the National Trust for Scotland. It feels like stepping back in time.
Culross has appeared in many films and television series, including Outlander. The palace, built by a wealthy merchant, has painted ceilings and a lovely garden. The abbey ruins above the village are peaceful.
The Fife Coastal Path runs along the coast from the Forth to the Tay, passing fishing villages, beaches and castles. Aberdour, to the east, has a castle and a beautiful beach. The villages of the East Neuk of Fife, such as Crail and Anstruther, are further along.
St Andrews is about an hour north east. A car or a driver for the day is the easiest way to explore the Fife coast and villages.
Getting there and getting around
Dunfermline has two railway stations, Dunfermline City and Dunfermline Queen Margaret, with trains to Edinburgh in around thirty five minutes, crossing the famous Forth Bridge. The M90 passes the eastern side of the city.
Edinburgh Airport is about fifteen miles south, across the Forth, around twenty five minutes by road. A car booked ahead is the easiest way to travel between Dunfermline and the airport, and to explore Culross, the bridges and the Fife coast.
Ride with ZeroLanes. From your door, the station or the airport to anywhere in Dunfermline, at a price fixed before you confirm. Travelling between cities? Get a fixed price for the journey, or keep a car and driver for the day with hourly hire.