St Giles' Cathedral

St Giles' Cathedral

St Giles' Cathedral is a Scottish Presbyterian place of worship located at the midpoint of the Royal Mile in Edinburgh's Old Town. It is the highest-ranking church in Edinburgh, and its tower resembles a crown, forming an impressive and prominent feature of the city’s skyline. This church has served as Edinburgh’s religious hub for 900 years, and today it is sometimes regarded as the mother church of the global Presbyterian community.

In the formal sense, St Giles' Cathedral functioned as a cathedral only during two brief periods in the 17th century: from 1635 to 1638 and from 1661 to 1689, when episcopacy was briefly supported by the monarchy and had a temporary presence within the Church of Scotland. Prior to the Scottish Reformation, there was no cathedral in Edinburgh because the city was part of the Diocese of St Andrews, where the cathedral was located. For most of the time after the Reformation, the Church of Scotland did not have bishops, dioceses, or cathedrals, so the term “Cathedral” in its name holds no official meaning.

Originally built in 1120, St Giles' Cathedral was destroyed by fire and rebuilt in 1385. The church houses a chapel of the Order of the Thistle that was added in the 20th century, featuring exquisitely ornate Neo-Gothic ceilings and carved woodwork. Due to its grand scale, central location, and numerous noble tombs, the cathedral has become a highly popular tourist attraction. Its prominence is further heightened during the annual Edinburgh Festival, owing to its position at the heart of the Royal Mile.

St Giles' Cathedral

Must-visit reason: Edinburgh’s highest-ranking church

Continent where the attraction is located: Europe【Europe】

Country/region where the attraction is located: Britain[Britain]

Province/state where the attraction is located: Edinburgh [Edinburgh]

City where the attraction is located: Edinburgh [Edinburgh]