
St Giles' Cathedral
St Giles' Cathedral, the historic "Mother Kirk of Scotland", has been a focal point of religious and civic life on the Royal Mile since 1124. Its architecture is a tapestry of centuries, but the cathedral is most famous as the epicentre of the Scottish Reformation under firebrand minister John Knox. While the main body of the kirk is imposing, its greatest artistic treasure is the Thistle Chapel, an astonishingly detailed 1911 Gothic space housing Scotland's chivalric order. You can admire the beautiful stained-glass windows, see an original National Covenant, and find the bronze memorial to Robert Louis Stevenson. Just outside the west door, the Heart of Midlothian set into the cobbles is traditionally spat upon for luck. Free tours and audio guides help unravel the complex history within this essential Edinburgh landmark.






















