Description of the attraction
St. Giles's Cathedral or, more correctly, the main church (high kirk) of St. Giles is located in the capital of Scotland, Edinburgh, in the heart of the historic city. There is no episcopal see in the cathedral, so the name “cathedral” is rather an honorific. The temple is consecrated in honor of St. Giles - the patron saint of the city of Edinburgh.
According to surviving testimonies, a Christian church existed in Edinburgh as early as 854. The oldest part of the cathedral building - four massive central columns - is dated to 1124, although there is no exact confirmation of this. It is only known for certain that in 1385 the church that existed on this site burned down, and was soon rebuilt. Most of the elements of the interior decoration of the cathedral date back to this time. Numerous side chapels were gradually completed, as a result of which the temple in the plan looks bizarre and asymmetrical.
During the Reformation, the cathedral was deprived of many ornaments and jewelry. The room was divided into many small rooms in accordance with the Reformed Presbyterian prayer tradition, and some of the rooms were not used at all for their intended purpose. At different times in different parts of the cathedral there was a police station, a fire station, a school, a coal warehouse, a prison for prostitutes … The Parliament of Scotland and the City Council held their meetings here.
In 1637, street vendor Jenny Geddes threw a chair at a priest who was trying to conduct a new service. From this, unrest began, which then grew into the War of the Three Kingdoms, of which the Civil War was part.
By the beginning of the 19th century, the cathedral was a deplorable sight. Architect William Burns was appointed to oversee the restoration work. In 1872-83. Sir William Chambers, Lord Provost (Mayor) of Edinburgh, who has done a lot to improve and improve the city, hires architects William Hay and George Henderson to further restore the cathedral and implement their ambitious plans to transform the cathedral into “Scottish Westminster Abbey”.
In 1911, the chapel of the Most Ancient and Noble Order of the Thistle appeared in the cathedral. A small but intricately decorated chapel serves as the venue for the Order's annual services, attended by the Head of the Order, Queen Elizabeth II.
At the end of the 19th century, large stained glass windows appeared in the cathedral. Combined with openwork fan flows, they make an unforgettable impression.
