Elgin Cathedral

Overview

Elgin Cathedral is one of Scotland’s most beautiful medieval buildings.  It is now a ruin, much of which dates back to the 13th century, but the remains are still an impressive piece of architecture.

Although much of Elgin Cathedral has collapsed, the two towers of the West Front and the Chapter House are practically intact.

You can climb up the towers and from the North-West tower you can enjoy a great view over the cathedral and the town of Elgin. The last few steps of the climb are on an open metal spiral staircase that vertigo sufferers might dislike. The top of the tower has an open viewing platform with information boards highlighting the visible landmarks.

It should be noted that you start in the South West tower and then cross over to the North West tower to reach the roof. If you keep climbing the South West tower you will find that there is no entrance to the roof. Very frustrating and we found out the hard way!

The Chapter House is complete and still has an amazing ceiling. It is considered to be one of the country’s finest octagonal chapter houses and the acoustics are very good so try a few songs.

Well worth a visit and the climb of the tower is a must-do when in Elgin, but at the time of writing (Jul 2023) there is no access to the top levels of the towers.

Save money on visiting this attraction by buying an Explorer Pass