The Unicorn
The national animal of Scotland is the unicorn. The unicorn symbolises purity and innocence. The image below shows the royal coat of arms of the Kingdom of Scotland. You will see the unicorn across the city.

The Thistle
The national flower of Scotland is the thistle, and since King Alexander III’s reign has been the country’s national emblem. It symbolises resilience.

The Scots tell a story of their close relationship to the thistle. Legend has it that a Viking army journeyed to Scotland on a mission of conquest. They landed under cover of night, and planned to ambush the sleeping Scottish clansmen in their camp. The Norsemen removed their shoes to approach quietly. As they crept across the shoreline, one of them stepped on a thorny thistle and let out a cry in pain. This roused the clansmen who took up arms and defeated the invaders.