St Andrews, Scotland

St Andrews
Cathedral ruins (foreground), town of St Andrews and the R&A Old Course (top) from the medieval St Rule's Tower. Photo Creative Commons License Nicholas Thompson.

Located north of Edinburgh on the east coast of Scotland, St Andrews is a historic town of about 16,500 people. Today, the town is best known as the home of Scotland's oldest university, which was recently attended by Prince William, and the Royal and Ancient Golf Club, whose renowned Old Course and museum attract golfers from around the world. But St Andrews also boasts some of the most important religious sites in Scotland. Its Cathedral of St Andrew, now a picturesque ruin overlooking the North Sea, was once the primary Christian center and largest building in the country, thanks to its ownership of a relic of St. Andrew the Apostle. Then, in the 1500s, St Andrews was at the epicenter of the Scottish Reformation: John Knox preached fiery sermons, the cathedral was attacked, and several Protestants were burned at the stake. Follow a link below to learn more about the rich spiritual heritage of St Andrews.


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St Andrew's Cathedral
Once the largest and most important church in Scotland, St Andrew's Cathedral (1160-1318) now lies in picturesque ruins overlooking the North Sea. Its museum contains important medieval artifacts.