Editing Inverness (section)

==Culture==
===Twin towns – sister cities===
{{See also|List of twin towns and sister cities in Scotland}}
Inverness is [[Sister city|twinned]] with:<ref>{{cite web |title=Home|url=http://www.inverness-town-twinning.com/|publisher=City of Inverness Town Twinning Committee|access-date=2022-06-26}}</ref>
*[[Augsburg]], Germany (1956)
*[[La Baule-Escoublac]], France (1981)
*[[Saint-Valery-en-Caux]], France (1987)

===Arts and events ===
[[File:Eden Court Theatre, Inverness, at dusk - geograph.org.uk - 5624401.jpg|thumb|right|Eden Court Theatre]]

The main theatre, cinema and arts centre in Inverness is called [[Eden Court| Eden Court Theatre]]. Other venues in the city include [[Inverness Museum and Art Gallery]], The Iron Works, The Northern Meeting Park and Wasp Studios. Inverness is an important centre for [[bagpipes|bagpipe]] players and lovers, since every September the city hosts the [[Northern Meeting]]. The [[Inverness cape]], a garment worn in the rain by pipers the world over, is not necessarily made in Inverness.

Another major event in calendar is the annual City of Inverness [[Highland Games]]. The event can trace its roots back to one of the first Highland Games staged in the modern era; the True Highland Games which was staged in 1822 by members of the Northern Meeting Society. In 1864 the Northern Meeting Society built the world's first Highland Games stadium, the Northern Meeting Park. The last Northern Meeting Highland Games was staged in 1938 and following the Second World War, responsibility for the organisation of the annual event passed to the Town Council who moved the event to Bught Park in 1948. In 2006 Inverness hosted Scotland's biggest ever Highland Games over two days in July, featuring the Masters' World Championships, the showcase event for heavies aged over 40 years. The first year that the Masters' World Championships had been held outside the United States was 2006, and it attracted many top heavies from around the world to the Inverness area. The Masters World Championships returned in 2009 when it was staged as part of the Homecoming celebrations. In 2010, the City of Inverness Highland Games returned to Northern Meeting Park where it remains to this day. Actress [[Karen Gillan]] is the ambassador for Theatre Art Education.

Inverness has gained notoriety as well for being featured in the [[Outlander (novel)|''Outlander'']] novel series by author [[Diana Gabaldon]]. The [[Tartan Heart Festival]] in the nearby village of Kiltarlity, is a summer festival that brings a variety of music to the area. [[British Forces Broadcasting Service|BFBS]] Radio broadcasts on 87.7FM as part of its UK Bases network.

Inverness Botanic Gardens is located in [[Bught Park]] a few minutes walk from the west bank of the [[River Ness]] near to the [[Ness Islands]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.invernessfloralhall.com/ |title=Inverness Botanic Gardens |access-date=16 February 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222005135/http://www.invernessfloralhall.com/ |archive-date=22 February 2014 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 2007, the city hosted [[Highland 2007]], a celebration of the culture of the [[Scottish Highlands|Highlands]], and will also host the World Highland Games Heavy Championships (21 & 22 July) and European Pipe Band Championships (28 July).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.highland2007.com/default.aspx.locid-07lnew05l.Lang-EN.htm|website=Highland 2007|title=European Pipe Band Championships are a closing highlight of InvernessFest|date=26 July 2007|access-date=14 July 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071013223252/http://www.highland2007.com/default.aspx.locid-07lnew05l.Lang-EN.htm|archive-date=2007-10-13|url-status=dead}}</ref> 2008 saw the first [[Hi-Ex]] (Highlands International Comics Expo), held at the [[Eden Court Theatre]].<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/highlands_and_islands/7194176.stm First superheroes expo for north], [[BBC]], 18 January 2008</ref><ref name=scotsimpact>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/highlands_and_islands/7195730.stm Scots' impact on comics examined], [[BBC]], 18 January 2008</ref>

Inverness is the location of [[Macbeth]]'s castle in Shakespeare's play. Inverness Library is located in Farraline Park, housed in what was originally the Bell's school, designed by William Robertson in the Greek Revival style.  The school was built with help from a £10,000 donation from [[Andrew Bell (educationalist)|Dr Andrew Bell]] in 1837.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://infoweb.newsbank.com/resources/doc/nb/news/1657ED8F283F8B08?p=UKNB|title=Schools of Inverness have a long history|date=4 July 2017|work=Inverness Courier|access-date=1 February 2018}}</ref>

===Media===
[[BBC Scotland]] has a studio in the city which broadcast the local opt-out of [[BBC Radio Scotland]] and [[BBC Radio nan Gàidheal]].<ref name="Contact numbers for BBC Scotland">{{harvnb|Contact numbers for BBC Scotland}}</ref>

Television signals are received from the [[Rosemarkie transmitting station|Rosemarkie]] TV transmitter <ref>{{cite web|url=https://ukfree.tv/transmitters/tv/Rosemarkie|title=Full Freeview on the Rosemarkie (Highland, Scotland) transmitter|date=1 May 2004|website=UK Free TV|accessdate= 10 January 2024}}</ref> and the local relay transmitter situated in the centre of the city.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://ukfree.tv/transmitters/tv/Inverness|title=Freeview Light on the Inverness (Highland, Scotland) transmitter|date=1 May 2004|website=UK Free TV|accessdate= 10 January 2024}}</ref>

The commercial radio station, ''Moray Firth Radio'' ([[MFR (radio station)|MRF]]) is also based in the city located on Scorguie Place.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://planetradio.co.uk/mfr/|title=MFR |access-date=10 January 2024}}</ref>

''[[The Inverness Courier]]'' is the local weekly newspaper which publishes on Fridays.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.britishpapers.co.uk/scotland/inverness-courier/|title=The Inverness Courier|date=20 April 2014|website=British Papers|accessdate=10 January 2024}}</ref>

===Language===

Historically, Inverness had a solidly [[Scottish Gaelic]] speaking population, with the majority of the population having Gaelic as their first language. From approximately the end of the 19th century, particularly following the [[Education (Scotland) Act 1872|1872 Education Act]], which made school attendance compulsory and required that only English be taught and tolerated in the schools on pain of [[corporal punishment]], Inverness suffered a decline in the number of Gaelic speakers in line with the rest of the once [[Scottish Highlands|Gaidhealtachd / Scottish Highlands]]. Despite the local dialect of Scottish Gaelic gradually falling out of use (although it continued to affect the local [[Highland English]] dialect), the language is still spoken locally in other dialects and the [[Mid-Minch Gaelic|main standardised form]]. By the end of the 19th century, some rural areas to the south east of Inverness still had completely Gaelic-speaking populations, such as Strath Dearn where almost 100% of the population were still Gaelic speaking.

'''1677:''' Inverness was described as "overwhelmingly" Gaelic speaking by the traveller Thomas Kirk.

'''1704:''' Close to 100% of the population was fluent in Gaelic with over 75% of the population only able to speak Gaelic.<ref>Mitchell, A. ''Inverness Kirk-session Records 1661–1880'', 25, Inverness, 1902</ref> [[Edward Lhuyd]] published major work on Inverness Gaelic and after collecting data from between 1699 and 1700, his findings showed a distinct dialect in the area.<ref>Campbell, JL & Thomson, D. ''Edward Lhuyd in the Scottish Highlands 1699–1700'' Oxford (1963)</ref> The clear dialect of Inverness Gaelic was held in high regard by speakers of other forms, such as those from Lewis, Sutherland and Ross.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8bmTUD5hiA4C&q=%22long+island%22+%22Sutherland+Gaelic%22&pg=PA117 |title=Popular Tales of the West Highlands|first= J F |last=Campbell|access-date=30 October 2012|isbn=9781907256028|year=2009|publisher=Abela Publishing }}</ref> Gaelic remained the principal language of Invernessians for the rest of the 18th century, despite growing pressure from outwith the Highlands in both political and social contexts.

'''1798:''' Thomas Garnett (Professor of Natural Philosophy and Chemistry in the Royal Institution of Great Britain) observed that Inverness had become largely bilingual with Invernessians using Gaelic as the language of the home but English as the language of foreign trade – however, the older generation at the time generally only had the Gaelic. Speaking of those in the countryside immediately surrounding Inverness, Garnett stated that although in Inverness both Gaelic and English "are spoken promiscuously...the language of the country people is Gaelic."

'''1828:''' John Wood praised the standard of both the Gaelic and English spoken in Inverness stating that both languages were spoken with "utmost purity." He noted that children would casually flit between the two languages while playing, asking questions in Gaelic while receiving answers in English and vice versa.

'''1882:''' ''The Celtic Magazine'', published in Inverness, complained that enumerators of the 1881 census who assessed whether families were Gaelic speaking, English speaking or both, had supplied false information. The magazine wrote that "whole families .... scarcely any member of whom can express the commonest idea intelligently in English – who are in every sense Gaelic-speaking people only – were returned by the enumerators as English-speaking."

'''1901:''' Inhabitants of Inverness voiced regret at the very swift decay of the native language in the short space of twenty years following a complete absence of bilingual education and disregard for Gaelic.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://archive.org/stream/transactions83unkngoog/transactions83unkngoog_djvu.txt |title=Full text of "Transactions" |year=1871 |publisher=Inverness |access-date=30 October 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131009141331/http://www.archive.org/stream/transactions83unkngoog/transactions83unkngoog_djvu.txt |archive-date=9 October 2013 |url-status=live }}</ref>

[[File:Bun-sgoil Ghàidhlig Inbhir Nis - geograph.org.uk - 2968728.jpg|thumb|left|Inverness Gaelic Primary School, opened in 2007.]]

The number of Gaelic speakers has fluctuated over the last century. In 1881, the census reported 4,047 Gaelic speakers in Inverness (23.3% of the population) which by 1891 had risen to 6,356 speakers (30.47%).<ref name = GIS>Withers, C. ''Gaelic in Scotland'' (1984) John Donald Publishers {{ISBN|0-85976-097-9}}</ref> By 1901 this figure had dropped to 5,072 speakers (23.88%) of the population, from which it continued to drop to present day numbers through [[emigration]] and [[language shift]].<ref name=GIS/> [[Scottish Gaelic]] is slowly re-appearing in the [[linguistic landscape]], appearing on some signs around Inverness. [[Bun-sgoil Ghàidhlig Inbhir Nis]], which opened in August 2007 as a primary school of [[Scottish Gaelic-medium education]], is nearing full capacity and was extended to allow for more pupils in August 2010.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cnp-inbhirnis.com/1/post/2009/11/gaelic-primary-school-education-set-to-expand-in-inverness-area-121109.html |title=Gaelic Primary School education set to expand in Inverness area (12/11/09) – Comann Nam Pàrant – Inbhir Nis |publisher=Cnp-inbhirnis.com |date=12 November 2009 |access-date=14 July 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110708171111/http://www.cnp-inbhirnis.com/1/post/2009/11/gaelic-primary-school-education-set-to-expand-in-inverness-area-121109.html |archive-date=8 July 2011  }}</ref> 

For a city of its size, Inverness today has a relatively high density of Gaelic speakers and a relatively lively Gaelic scene, making it one of the centres of the [[Scottish Gaelic Renaissance]]. According to the 2011 census, 4.8% of residents of greater Inverness over age 3 speak Gaelic compared to 1.1% nationally. At 2,800 Gaelic speakers, only [[Greater Glasgow]] and [[Edinburgh]] have a higher absolute total.<ref>[http://www.scotlandscensus.gov.uk/ods-web/data-warehouse.html 2011 Scotland Census] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140604200212/http://www.scotlandscensus.gov.uk/ods-web/data-warehouse.html |date=4 June 2014 }}, Settlement Table QS211SC.</ref> [[Bòrd na Gàidhlig]], an organisation responsible for supporting and promoting the use of Scottish Gaelic nationwide, has its main office in Inverness.<ref name="bord-na-gaidhlig.org.uk">[http://www.bord-na-gaidhlig.org.uk/welcome.html Bòrd na Gàidhlig] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090211194545/http://bord-na-gaidhlig.org.uk/welcome.html |date=11 February 2009 }} {{in lang|gd}}</ref> Other Gaelic related groups include the Inverness Gaelic Choir which has existed for over 70 years.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://invernessgaelicchoir.com/?page_id=2 |title=About Inverness Gaelic Choir |publisher=Inverness Gaelic Choir |access-date=13 October 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110713050725/http://invernessgaelicchoir.com/?page_id=2 |archive-date=13 July 2011 |url-status=usurped }}</ref> Inverness also hosted the [[Royal National Mòd]] in 2014, a festival, inspired by the Welsh [[Eisteddfod]], celebrating Scottish Gaelic culture, [[Scottish Gaelic literature|literature]], and [[Gaelic music|music]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.scotsman.com/inverness/Inverness-set-to-host-Mod.6584066.jp |title=Inverness to host the Royal National Mòd |publisher=Scotsman Newspaper|date= 16 October 2010|access-date=16 October 2010 |location=Edinburgh |first=Frank |last=Urquhart}}</ref>

===Cityscape===

[[File:001 - inverness castle.jpg|thumb|right|[[Inverness Castle]]]]
[[File:Presbyterian Cathedral of St. Andrew.jpg|thumb|right|St. Andrew's Cathedral on the banks of the [[River Ness]]]]
Important buildings in Inverness include [[Inverness Castle]], and various churches. The castle was built in 1835 on the site of its medieval predecessor. Until 30 March 2020, it housed Inverness [[Sheriff Court]]: this has now been moved to the [[Inverness Justice Centre]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.scotcourts.gov.uk/the-courts/court-locations/IJC|title=Inverness Justice Centre|website=www.scotcourts.gov.uk|access-date=11 September 2024|archive-date=24 February 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240224021214/https://www.scotcourts.gov.uk/the-courts/court-locations/IJC|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.inverness-courier.co.uk/news/see-inside-the-inverness-justice-centre-which-opened-today-195214/|title=See inside Scotland's first purpose-built justice centre which opened today in Inverness |author=Andrew Dixon|date=30 March 2020|newspaper=Inverness Courier|access-date=15 March 2021}}</ref>

[[Inverness Cathedral]], dedicated to [[St Andrew]], is a cathedral of the [[Scottish Episcopal Church]] and seat of the [[Ordinary (officer)|ordinary]] of the [[Diocese of Moray, Ross and Caithness]]. The cathedral has a curiously square-topped look to its spires, as funds ran out before they could be completed.

The oldest church is the [[Old High St Stephen's, Inverness|Old High Church]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.oldhighststephens.com/location// |title=Old High Church information |date=6 July 2011 |publisher=oldhighststephens.com |access-date=19 June 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130531232634/http://oldhighststephens.com/location/ |archive-date=31 May 2013 |url-status=live }}</ref> on St Michael's Mount by the riverside, a site perhaps used for worship since Celtic times. The church tower dates from [[mediaeval]] times, making it the oldest surviving building in Inverness. It is used by the [[Church of Scotland]] congregation of [[Old High St Stephen's, Inverness]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://oldhighststephens.com/ |title=Old High St Stephen's website |publisher=Oldhighststephens.com |access-date=14 July 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100828172539/http://www.oldhighststephens.com/ |archive-date=28 August 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref> and it is the venue for the annual Kirking of the council, which is attended by local councillors.

There is no [[Catholic Church in Scotland|Catholic]] cathedral in the area as the [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Aberdeen|Diocesan]] cathedral ([[St Mary's Cathedral, Aberdeen|St Mary]]) is at [[Aberdeen]]. The Catholic population is served by two parish churches: [[St Mary's, Inverness]] founded in 1837, is the older of the two and the first Catholic parish founded and built in Inverness after nearly three hundred years of [[religious persecution]] was ended by [[Catholic Emancipation]] in 1829.<ref>[http://www.stmarysinverness.co.uk/parish.htm The Story of St. Mary's Catholic Church Inverness] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130508045807/http://www.stmarysinverness.co.uk/parish.htm |date=8 May 2013 }} – St Mary's Inverness official website</ref> St Ninian's was built during the 1960s and 1970s.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.saintninians.org.uk/Assets/Story.htm|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130514063440/http://www.saintninians.org.uk/Assets/Story.htm|url-status=dead|title=St Ninian's - Story|archivedate=14 May 2013}}</ref>

Porterfield [[Prison]], officially [[Inverness (HM Prison)|HMP Inverness]], serves the courts of the Highlands, Western Isles, Orkney Isles and Moray, providing secure custody for all [[Detention of suspects|remand]] prisoners and short-term adult prisoners, both male and female, who are segregated.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.sps.gov.uk/Corporate/Prisons/Inverness/HMP-Inverness.aspx |title=Prisons: Inverness: HMP Inverness |publisher=[[Scottish Prison Service]] |access-date=27 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160404093130/http://www.sps.gov.uk/Corporate/Prisons/Inverness/HMP-Inverness.aspx |archive-date=4 April 2016 |url-status=live }}Ordnance Survey grid reference: {{gbmappingsmall|NH668449}}</ref>