Stirling (Scottish Gaelic language: ''Sruighlea'' , Scots language: ''Stirlin'') is a City status in the United Kingdom and former ancient burgh in Scotland, and is at the heart of the wider Stirling (council area). The city is clustered around a large Stirling Castle and medieval old-town beside the River Forth. Historically it was strategically important as the "Gateway to the Highlands", with its position near the boundary between the Scottish Lowlands and Scottish Highlands, and its crossing of the Forth, the nearest to the river mouth.
Once the Capital of Scotland, Stirling boosts a Great Hall (restored 1999) and Renaissance palace (under restoration) within the Castle that rivalled any building in Europe at the time. Stirling also has its medieval parish church, Church_of_the_Holy_Rude, where King James VI was crowned King of Scots on 29 July 1567. The Holy Rude still functions as living church with a service every Sunday.
Stirling is a centre for local government, higher education, retail, and light industry. Its population in 2008 was 33,710, for Stirling itself, the wider urban area including Bridge of Allan and Bannockburn has a population of 45,750. This makes it the smallest city in Scotland: indeed it is smaller than many of Scotland's List of towns and cities in Scotland by population.
One of the principal royal strongholds of the Kingdom of Scotland, Stirling was created a Royal burgh by David I of Scotland in 1130, which it remained until 1975, when the county of Stirlingshire was absorbed into Central Region, Scotland. In 2002, as part of Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom's Golden Jubilee of Elizabeth II, Stirling was granted City status in the United Kingdom.
