St
Giles Cathedral
High
St, Edinburgh, EH1 1RE, Scotland, UK.
Tel. +44 (0) 131 225 4363.
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By
Kirsten
Griew
Located in the heart of the city's Old Town, St Giles Cathedral
is Edinburgh's High Kirk, and the world centre of Scottish Presbyterianism.
It
was from St Giles that the eminent minister John Knox launched
the Scottish Reformation in the 16th century. He is buried in
what is now a car park behind the cathedral, and a statue of him
preaching a fiery sermon greets visitors as they enter the building.
There has been a church on the site from at least the 12th century,
although today the external appearance gives little away about
the turbulent history of St Giles.
A
19th century restoration changed the look of the old church dramatically,
leaving only the 1490 crown spire as a reminder of the building's
age.
Inside the cathedral, along with the beautiful stained glass windows, you can see the two-storey structure known as 'Haddows Hole' within which Covenanters were imprisoned during the Civil War. An original copy of the Covenant can still be found inside St Giles, as can monuments to the Earl of Argyll and the Marquess of Montrose, archenemies during the Civil War who now face each other across the room. Look out also for the Thistle Chapel, the meeting place of the members of the Order of the Thistle (the highest order of chivalry in Scotland, led by the reigning monarch). The chapel is filled with intricate neo-gothic oak carving, which includes an angel playing the bagpipes.
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