St. Giles’ Cathedral in Edinburgh, Scotland, has stood at the heart of the city for more than 900 years and remains one of the country’s most important historic churches. Founded in 1124 by King David I, it occupies a prominent site on the High Street in the Old Town along the Royal Mile, placing it at the center of both Edinburgh’s physical landscape and much of Scotland’s religious history.
The church is especially closely tied to the Scottish Reformation and to John Knox, who served as minister there after Protestant reformers took control of Edinburgh in 1559. St. Giles’ was at the center of the religious upheaval that reshaped Scotland, and its history reflects the country’s wider struggles between Catholic and Protestant forces during the 16th century. Later, in 1633, Charles I made it the cathedral of the newly created Diocese of Edinburgh.
The present building dates largely from the 14th through early 16th centuries, with major changes in the 19th and 20th centuries, including the addition of the Thistle Chapel. Today, St. Giles’ remains a working church administered by the Church of Scotland and is one of Edinburgh’s best-known historic landmarks.