Glasgow Cathedral

Glasgow Cathedral tickets: which one to buy

Glasgow Cathedral stands on Castle Street on the eastern edge of Glasgow's city centre, Scotland, beside the Necropolis, a Victorian cemetery on a hill, and entry is free; it is managed by Historic Environment Scotland. It is the oldest cathedral on mainland Scotland and the only one to have survived the Reformation almost intact. Visitors often combine the cathedral with the Necropolis, which offers views over the city and holds elaborate tombs, the Provand's Lordship, the oldest house in Glasgow, across the street, and the Saint Mungo Museum of Religious Life and Art.

Walking tours of Glasgow's medieval quarter include the cathedral. The cathedral is about fifteen minutes' walk from George Square and Queen Street station. Guided tours are available, and the cathedral is active, with Church of Scotland services on Sundays. Guided tours by volunteers are free and usually start near the entrance.

Visiting Glasgow Cathedral: what to see

According to tradition, Saint Mungo, also called Saint Kentigern, the patron saint of Glasgow, founded a church here in the sixth century and was buried on the site. The present cathedral was built mainly in the thirteenth to fifteenth centuries in the Gothic style. During the Reformation in 1560, many Scottish cathedrals were damaged, but the people of Glasgow's trade guilds defended their cathedral, and it survived. The cathedral is built on a slope, and it has two levels: the upper church, with its nave and choir, and the lower church, beneath the choir, which holds the tomb of Saint Mungo, among forests of columns and vaults. The Blackadder Aisle, a vaulted chapel with carved bosses, extends from the lower church. The cathedral holds one of the finest collections of post-war stained glass in Britain.

The stone screen separating the nave and choir is one of only two surviving medieval screens in Scottish churches. The lower church's tomb of Saint Mungo is surrounded by a forest of pillars. The cathedral's nave has a wooden roof, and the choir has a vaulted ceiling. The stained glass windows include works by artists of the twentieth century, such as Francis Spear. The Blackadder Aisle's vault is decorated with carved bosses, including one showing a coffin on a cart. The cathedral's chapter house was used for meetings of the University of Glasgow in its early years. The cathedral's memorials include plaques to soldiers and notable Glaswegians. The Necropolis's monuments include a column topped by a statue of John Knox.

Glasgow Cathedral opening hours and the best time to go

The cathedral is open daily, with shorter hours on Sundays. Glasgow's weather is often rainy and mild, so the cathedral and museums are good indoor stops. The Necropolis is best visited on dry days. The Celtic Connections music festival in January and the Merchant City Festival in summer bring events to the city. Allow about forty-five minutes for the cathedral, and walk up to the Necropolis for views over Glasgow. The Saint Mungo Museum of Religious Life and Art, beside the cathedral, is free and displays religious art from around the world.