In United Kingdom, Edinburgh (sometimes misspelled in Edinborough) is one of the largest city with a population of nearly 450,000 inhabitants, second after Glasgow, and it is the chief city of Scotland. In 1995 Edinburgh became a UNESCO world heritage site. Edinburgh is split into two division the New Town and Old Town. The Old Town is settled to the south and the New Town to the north. Borders of the two parts are widely known for the shopping avenues. Beside shopping Edinburgh offers many tourist spots. In the heart of the city there are grand structures which varies from churches to monuments, but the most famous tourist places is certainly the majestic Edinburgh Castle that dominates the skyline of the city.
Greyfriars Kirk, the first amend church in Edinburgh, consecrate in 1620, was constructed in the middle of a cemetery that Mary Queen of Scots suggested in 1
562 because of insufficient burial space at St. Giles Cathedral. In 1638 the national covenant was bestowed and indorsed to the pulpit. It became a barracks for Cromwell’s army in the middle of the 17th century, 1200 covenanters were put to prison in Greyfriars Kirkyard. In 1679 the first tower was destroyed when the gunpowder store room was accidentally blazed. A delegate of Greyfriars form a movement for reform worship in the 19th century, and presented the stained glass windows and organs in Scotland. The most famous churchyard belongs to a 19th century policeman name John Gray whose devoted dog a skye terrier, name bobby, stood to his owners graveyard for years.
High Kirk of St. Giles which is located in the midpoint of the Royal Mile, is widely known as the church were Presbyterianism originated thanks to John Knox’s sermon. Its attraction is the thistle chapel which has a monarch chair, 16 chairs for knights and two chairs for the royalty.
Holyrood Abbey, built in 1128 by King David I for the Augustinian monks of St. Andrews. It is famous for King James Tower where Queen Mary of Scots lived.
St. Cuthbert’s Parish Church is an important church which emphasize Celtic spirituality. It is like a basilica with a rounded vault inside.
