Elgin Cathedral

Elgin Cathedral, known as the Lantern of the North, is an impressive 800 year old, Medieval ruin. It was once Scotland's second largest cathedral.

The two towers at the entrance are mostly intact, giving you the sense of size and grandeur of the place. The cathedral was attacked and burned down several times. Each time it was rebuilt bigger and more elaborate.

There is a narrow spiral staircase inside the towers you can climb up. Each floor has an exhibit of well preserved stone work on display. 

When we arrived, there was a wee piper outside the towers entrance. There was a wedding about to take place. There were a lot of fancy dressed guests and looky-loos about.

Luckily, we were still able to enter and walk the grounds, aside from the well preserved Chapter House, as that's where the ceremony took place. Does anyone know who got married here on September 2, 2023?? I got a great picture of the bride!

The bagpipes and the priest only added to the ambience walking around the old cathedral grounds. The grounds include old tombstones with skulls and crossbones (my favorite) and stone carvings. There is a Pictish stone slab, known as the Elgin Pillar, that predates the cathedral. A pictish stone is a type of monumental stone carved with symbols or designs kind of like a petroglyph. It's said to be Scotland's tallest memorial stone.

It's a cool place to wander around. We spent quite awhile here.

Elgin Cathedral, front entrance

Elgin Cathedral, from the backside outside the grounds

Taphophile - a lover of gravestones.

On to Castle Fraser>>