Edinburgh Photo Friday: St John’s Church

Today’s photo friday is a true relic – one that is a sight you’ll probably walk by during your Edinburgh visit but you could easily pass it by, St John’s Church (map):

Now THAT, my dear readers, is a church.  This is the breathtaking nave of St Johns Church, the gorgeous building that you’ll find at the west end of Princes Street.  Standing from the opposite corner (in front of Ryans), or perhaps as the bus makes its first turn and entry into the street and you get that perfect glimpse of St Johns with Edinburgh Castle wrapping around above it in the background.   It’s just a stunning building, but what’s inside is far more special.

Community Spirit

St John’s is such a warm part of the Edinburgh community.  They often have special events or promote other organisations in Edinburgh – you can usually catch what’s happening from their big signage out front.  If you’re not interested in services, you can at least check out their bookshop, which features some local arts and crafts as well as the usual religious goods.

The cemetery and grounds of the church are also well worth exploring.  The tombstones are massive – not like our modern rectangular ones, but these huge squares that butt up right next to each other.  There are sometimes craft fairs and the like on the grounds too.

For More Information

For more information on what’s going on  during your visit, visit St John’s website: www.stjohns-edinburgh.org.uk

Photo by Lord Biro