Photo Friday: Saltires in the High Kirk
TGIF, folks – it’s Photo Friday! Today we visit the High Kirk, also known as St Giles Cathedral on the Royal Mile.
These gorgeous chairs are emblazoned with the Saltire, Scotland’s national flag. These chairs are, of course, a far more recent addition – they wouldn’t have been here when first church stood in this spot in 854. 
That church was subsequently destroyed and a new one rebuilt and opened in 1243.
However, Saint Giles is a must-visit during your Edinburgh tour; it is easy to find, the massive church halfway down the Royal Mile, adorned with the crown-of-thorns like spire on top. The inner nave of the church has just underwent restoration and now is the glorious vaulted ceiling that church building had when it first opened.
St Giles has a very roundabout history. It was once a single, massive church, and then later on the building was split up into several different churches serving different sects of the population. It was always known as a church that welcomed everyone and anyone.
Before you visit, be sure to check out the official St Giles Cathedral website for their extensive (but easy to digest!) information on the long history of the site.
Pub Trivia Bonus Point
Reformationist John Knox is buried in the graveyard behind the church. Don’t see the cemetery? That’s because it was paved over and turned into a car park. (Whoops!) If you’d like to pay your respects, just visit stall 23.
Photo by ciamabue
