St Mary's Cathedral

St Mary's Cathedral is an Anglican cathedral in the West End of Edinburgh, Scotland, built in Victorian Gothic Revival style. Three tall spires rise above the western part of the city and define the skyline of the neighborhood around Palmerston Place.

The Duke of Buccleuch laid the foundation stone in 1874, and the cathedral opened five years later following a design by architect George Gilbert Scott. The construction came at a time when the Scottish Episcopal Church was seeking new gathering places in growing urban areas.

The cathedral maintains a full choir that sings daily services and became the first Scottish Episcopal cathedral to include female voices in 1978. Visitors can experience choral music during service times, a practice that has been part of the local Anglican tradition for generations.

The cathedral is located at Palmerston Place near Haymarket station and is open during several daily services. Visitors can enter before or after ceremonies to view the interior and architecture at a quieter pace.

The Song School inside the cathedral displays wall murals painted by Phoebe Anna Traquair, depicting scenes from religious and secular literature. These Arts and Crafts movement artworks are among the few examples of her large-scale work accessible to the public.

Location: City of Edinburgh

Location: Edinburgh

Inception: May 21, 1874

Architects: George Gilbert Scott

Official opening: October 30, 1879

Architectural style: Gothic Revival

Website: http://cathedral.net

GPS coordinates: 55.94840,-3.21661

Latest update: December 5, 2025 22:30