St. Giles Cathedral

St. Giles Cathedral was founded in the 11th century but the original cathedral burned down in 1385 and was rebuilt shortly afterwards. In 1466 St. Giles became a collegiate church and around 1490 the lantern tower was added. In the 16th century, the reformer John Knox became a priest of St. Gilles and was buried there, making the cathedral the mother church of Presbyterianism. He is commemorated by a 19th-century stained glass window in the south wall of the church and, since 1904, by a bronze statue on the north side.

About this building

Key Features

  • Architecture
  • Monuments
  • Links to national heritage
  • Famous people or stories

Visitors information

  • Bus stop within 100m
  • Café within 500m

Other nearby buildings

David Major/Flickr

Canongate Kirk

When stepping up to Canongate Kirk you may be excused for not quite knowing what the building is. The front is unusual with its flat facade, heavy Doric porch and strange Dutch style gable, topped by a set of real antlers.