invorgordon_scotland

Renaissance

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Invergordon's founder, Sir William Gordon of Embo, bought the old castle at the beginning
of the 18th century and decided to retire to this niche in the Highlands where he devoted
himself to his favourite pastimes, hunting and fishing. He had a substantial fortune and
entirely restored the castle and began to finance plans for the building of a small town and
port. This definitively changed the name of the city from Inverbreakie to Invergordon.

The city grew with few obstacles standing in its way, mainly due to the wealth of the Gordon family and
its heirs, who cultivated the land, fished and brought life to the town until 1900 when the port underwent
a sudden injection of development due to trade in minerals and wood. Invergordon became an
important military base for the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force during World War II and it was from
here the British storm attacks departed to attack the Nazi enclaves.

After the military base was closed down in 1956, petroleum companies began to take an interest in
Invergordon, given its proximity to the extraction activities in the North Sea. Invergordon is a typical
Scottish Highland city and is proud of its traditions and monuments. These include the Balnagown
Castle, built in the 15th century, enlarged before falling into disrepair having been the base of the
famous Ross clan. Mohammed Al Fayed purchased the castle in 1973 and completely restored it.
Today it is one of the most outstanding castles in all the United Kingdom.

Twenty kilometres away you'll find the medieval royal hamlet of Tain, one of the centres for pilgrimages
made to ancient Scotland where generations of Catholic kings often came in spiritual retreat. Records
show that James VI came here 18 times to pray for the protection of Scotland and its people.

Invergordon is one of the most beautiful ports in Great Britain, and with its passageway through the
Cromarty Firth, it is one of the privileged gateways to the wonderful world of the Scottish Highlands,
just a stone's throw away from the mysteries of Loch Ness and the battle fields of Stirling and Culloden.

The Ord Distillery is yet another of the important reference points for this part of Scotland, having
produced one of the best known scotch whiskys in the region for the last 500 years. Glen Ord is
matured for 12 years and is the pride and joy of the region.