What is famous for the Scottish Wallace monument, and why is Mel Gibson's costume stored there

William Wallace is a 13th-century knight who is revered in Scotland as a national hero. Despite the fact that Wallace lived only 35 years, he managed to do a lot for the country. He was a freedom fighter and spoiled a lot of blood for the British, and thanks to his excellent fighting skills, he managed to win the unequal battle on the Stirling Bridge in 1297, the most important battle in the Scottish independence. Today, many people know about this battle from a movie with Mel Gibson called Braveheart.

In honor of the hero and the struggle for independence, over 20 monuments were erected in the country. One of the most key and impressive is the monument, which was built on the site of the very decisive battle. This was done in 1869 on a hill, where in the 13th century Wallace took his position before the battle. The wooden bridge itself, which collapsed under the British army, has now been replaced by a stone one.

Funds for the creation of this amazingly beautiful Gothic tower were collected by the whole country, so the construction took as much as 10 years. Over time, the “Hall of Heroes” appeared in the memorial, in which they began to collect memorabilia of the Scots, whose actions left an important mark in the history of the country.

In addition, the tower museum has an impressive collection of exhibits that helps visitors plunge into the past of Scotland. Also, as an entertainment program, historical reconstructions are often held here. And, curiously, this is where Mel Gibson's costume is kept, in which he played William Wallace in the film. Despite the fact that the museum staff is not enthusiastic about the film for its some historical distortions, they could not deny the important role that it played in popularizing the main national hero of Scotland. And for this, the actor’s costume got a place among the exhibits of the memorial.

Arriving at the Wallace Tower, do not forget to look at the observation deck. It is located at the very top and is called the "Crown". It is worth warning that the views from here are fantastic, but people with fear of heights can become uncomfortable.

By the way, in 2014, Scotland made an attempt to become independent from the UK. This, according to statistics, was a very beneficial step for the development of the country, because in this case it would be able to manage its own resources and control taxation, which is important, because so far the Scottish Parliament can only be responsible for 7-15 percent of its citizens taxes. However, despite the fact that the country has everything necessary for independent living: developed industries, tourism, agriculture, education, own energy, high GDP - on September 19, 2014, slightly more than half of the residents voted against leaving Britain.