St Giles Cathedral Scotland Photos, Building history, Scottish Kirk on the Royal Mile images

St Giles Cathedral Edinburgh Architecture

Historic Scottish Church Building in the heart of the Edinburgh Old Town, Scotland – Ancient Religious Architecture UK.

post updated 26 October 2023

Edinburgh Cathedral
St Giles Cathedral building photo © Adrian Welch

St Giles Cathedral Edinburgh

Scotland’s National Cathedral
Admission to St Giles Cathedral is free: visitors are invited to make a donation of £2 per person (check with the building operator, this was correct at the time of writing).

St Giles Edinburgh St Giles Cathedral St Giles Cathedral Edinburgh
photo © Adrian Welch

St Giles Cathedral is the historic City Church of Edinburgh. It is also known as the High Kirk of Edinburgh and contains the Chapel of the Order of the Thistle.

St Giles Cathedral
building photograph © Adrian Welch

This ancient building has a notable collection of stained-glass windows and around two hundred memorials. The flying buttresses form a beautiful corwn to the building that make it a loved Edinburgh landmark.

St Giles Cathedral Edinburgh St Giles Cathedral Edinburgh St Giles Cathedral Edinburgh
pictures © Adrian Welch

Contact St Giles’ Cathedral: Email info(at)stgilescathedral.org.uk

Renewal works design: Campbell & Arnott Architects

Duke of Buccleuch statue outside St Giles Cathedral:
St Giles Cathedral Edinburgh St Giles Cathedral Edinburgh St Giles Cathedral Edinburgh
photo © Adrian Welch

St Giles Cathedral Architect
Campbell and Arnott Architects has been actively involved as cathedral architect since 1990 – the new organ was their first project there. Since that time they have been responsible for a major programme of fabric repair (roofs, masonry, windows) as well as various interior projects.

St Giles Cathedral Edinburgh
building photo © Adrian Welch

Prototype chandelier for St Giles
This chandelier was designed by dpa lighting in conjunction with Campbell and Arnott Architects

St Giles Cathedral Edinburgh
Mike Stoane chandelier inside this historic building image from Mike Stoane Lighting in 2001

St Giles Cathedral Disabled Access
Date of proposal: 2006
Design: Morris and Steedman Associates

Disabled Access proposals are proposed by Morris and Steedman Associates. Morris and Steedman have contributed to studies on the future of the City ofEdinburgh, notably the City Lighting Vision and the Old Town Visitor Strategy.

Scottish Cathedral
Disabled Access image from Morris and Steedman, Model by Campbell and Arnott Architects

Edinburgh Old Town Buildings

Edinburgh Old Town Property Developments – a recent selection on this website:

Parliament House

Edinburgh Church

Edinburgh walking tours

Context for this High Street architecture: Royal Mile Edinburgh

Key Morris and Steedman associates projects:

Corrour Lodge with
Moshe Safdie

A major Scottish religious building located just to the south of the capital city:

Rosslyn Chapel

Edinburgh Religious Buildings

Featured Edinburgh Religious Property Developments – a recent selection on this website:

St Mary’s Cathedral
St Mary's Cathedral
picture © Adrian Welch

St Peter’s Church
St Peter's Church interior
photograph : Keith Hunter

Canongate Kirk
Canongate Kirk
photo © Adrian Welch

Tron Kirk
Tron Kirk Edinburgh
photo © Adrian Welch

Scottish Church

The context to the southwest of this historic Old Town property: Old Scottish Parliament

Edinburgh Buildings

Edinburgh Property Developments – a recent selection on this website:

Sciennes Primary School Edinburgh building – the first Scottish Passivhaus primary school to use CLT structure
Sciennes Primary School Edinburgh Building

Red Sandstone Building on Leith Walk
Red Sandstone Building, Leith Walk

Comments / photos for the St Giles Cathedral Edinburgh Architecture page welcome