Rosslyn Chapel, Gothic chapel in Midlothian, Scotland
Rosslyn Chapel is a Gothic chapel in Midlothian, roughly seven miles south of Edinburgh in Scotland. The interior contains hundreds of ornamental stonework pieces across columns, arches and walls, including elaborately carved vines and figurative representations.
William Sinclair commissioned the construction in 1446, and work stretched across several decades. Later centuries brought alterations, with the structure serving as a place for worship in different periods.
The building is named after the nearby village of Roslin and served for centuries as a place of worship for local congregations. The carvings include plants originally from other continents, raising questions about the knowledge of medieval stonemasons.
The chapel lies roughly seven miles south of Edinburgh and requires advance booking for entry. The number of simultaneous visitors remains restricted to protect the structure.
The cubes on the columns contain what some researchers interpret as an encoded melody, known as the Rosslyn Motet. This interpretation connects stonework with musical elements from the fifteenth century.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
