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Edinburgh Castle from Princes Street Gardens

Places of worship · United Kingdom

Edinburgh places of worship: Old Town churches

Our Edinburgh guide lists 10 places of worship, and many of them sit in the Old Town between the Royal Mile and Castle Hill, so you can see several on one walk. They span a range of Christian traditions, from the Church of Scotland and the Scottish Episcopal Church to the Quakers and the Methodists.

St Giles' Cathedral on the Royal Mile, also known as the High Kirk of Edinburgh, is one of three cathedrals in the city. Nearby, Greyfriars Kirk is a Church of Scotland parish church in the Old Town, surrounded by Greyfriars Kirkyard.

Just below the castle, St Columba's-by-the-Castle is a Scottish Episcopal congregation on the south slope of Castle Hill, in a category B listed building. The Quaker Meeting House on Victoria Terrace, also category B listed, is the central meeting house for Quakers in Edinburgh. Augustine United Church on George IV Bridge is a United Reformed Church in a local ecumenical partnership with St Columba's-by-the-Castle and Greyfriars Tolbooth and Highland Kirk.

The guide also includes St Columba's Free Church on Johnston Terrace and the City of Edinburgh Methodist Church on Nicolson Square. If you visit during a service, dress respectfully and keep quiet.

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10 places in our guide

  1. 1. Main cathedral / church

    City

    Main cathedral / church in Edinburgh.

  2. 2. Augustine United Church

    George IV Bridge

    Augustine United Church is a United Reformed Church in Edinburgh, Scotland. It is in a local ecumenical partnership with St Columba's-by-the-Castle and Greyfriars Tolbooth and Highland Kirk.

  3. 3. Greyfriars Kirk

    Greyfriars Place

    Greyfriars Kirk is a parish church of the Church of Scotland, located in the Old Town of Edinburgh, Scotland. It is surrounded by Greyfriars Kirkyard.

  4. 4. Quaker Meeting House

    Edinburgh

    The Quaker Meeting House, Edinburgh is a Category B listed building in Edinburgh, Scotland, situated on Victoria Terrace in the city's Old Town. It is the central meeting house for members of the Quakers in Edinburgh.

  5. 5. St Columba's by the Castle

    Johnston Terrace

    St Columba's-by-the-Castle is a congregation of the Scottish Episcopal Church in central Edinburgh, Scotland. The church is located close to Edinburgh Castle, on the south slope of Castle Hill, and is protected as a category B listed building.

  6. 6. St Giles' Cathedral

    Royal Mile

    St Giles' Cathedral, also known as the High Kirk of Edinburgh, is one of three cathedrals in Edinburgh, Scotland.

  7. 7. St Columba's Free Church

    Johnston Terrace

  8. 8. The Chaplaincy

    Edinburgh

  9. 9. Hubbard Academy of Personal Independence Scientology Edinburgh

    South Bridge

  10. 10. City of Edinburgh Methodist Church

    Nicolson Square

Full Edinburgh guide →

Questions travellers ask

What is St Giles' Cathedral?
Also known as the High Kirk of Edinburgh, it stands on the Royal Mile and is one of three cathedrals in the city.
Where is Greyfriars Kirk?
In the Old Town, at Greyfriars Place. It is a Church of Scotland parish church surrounded by Greyfriars Kirkyard.
Which church is closest to Edinburgh Castle?
St Columba's-by-the-Castle, a Scottish Episcopal congregation on the south slope of Castle Hill, on Johnston Terrace. St Columba's Free Church is on the same street.
Is there a Quaker meeting house in Edinburgh?
Yes. The Quaker Meeting House on Victoria Terrace in the Old Town is the central meeting house for Quakers in Edinburgh.
Where is the Methodist church in central Edinburgh?
The City of Edinburgh Methodist Church is on Nicolson Square.

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