St. Giles' Cathedral, Edinburgh

St. Giles Cathedral, the High Kirk of Edinburgh, stands in a prominent position on the Royal Mile in Edinburgh, Scotland. The oldest parts date from the Romanesque building that was constructed by Alexander I in about 1120 AD. This would probably have been on the site of the present nave. The four massive, central pillars were part of that original building.

The building was a Roman Catholic cathedral until the Reformation - the last Mass was sung in 1560 AD. John Knox (1512 to 72), the great Scottish Reformer, became minister of the city, leading the Church of Scotland towards the Presbyterian and Calvinistic form of Protestantism.

From 1633 to 1639, under King Charles I, St Giles became an episcopalian cathedral in its organisational structure, with bishops appointed by the King. In 1638, as the result of the Scots signing the National Covenant the episcopalian structure was abolished.