St Giles’ Cathedral

St Giles' Cathedral, the High Kirk of Edinburgh, stands on the south side of the High Street on the Royal Mile, forming the north side of Parliament Square. A church has stood here since the 12th century; the first, a small Romanesque building, is traditionally dated to 1124 and David I. The present church was begun in the 14th century and enlarged into the early 16th, and its crown steeple, dated by tree-ring analysis to the 1460s, is one of only two medieval crown steeples surviving in Scotland.

St Giles' is central to the story of the Scottish Reformation. John Knox preached here in 1559 and became its minister soon after, delivering his last sermon in the church in 1572. Inside, look for the stained glass, which returned to the church during the Victorian restoration of 1872 to 1873. The Thistle Chapel, designed by Robert Lorimer and opened in 1911, is the chapel of the Order of the Thistle.

Opening hours vary by season. From May to September the church opens Monday to Friday from 9am to 7pm, Saturday 9am to 5pm and Sunday 1pm to 5pm; from October to April it opens Monday to Saturday 9am to 5pm and Sunday 1pm to 5pm. A short service is held every day except Sunday from 12pm to 12.10pm, when visitors are asked to be silent and photography is not permitted. Closures for events can happen at short notice, so check the calendar.

For a different perspective, the cathedral runs small rooftop tours on Saturday and Sunday afternoons, for a maximum of four people, booked on the day only. Guided walking tours run on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons. The café downstairs serves visitors throughout the day, and there is a gift shop. Ramps lead to the west door, but the Thistle Chapel and the downstairs café are not wheelchair accessible.

Allow 30 to 45 minutes for the interior, more if you join a tour. St Giles' suits anyone walking the Royal Mile, and it pairs naturally with the Real Mary King's Close nearby on the Royal Mile and the walking tours that start in the Old Town.