Glasgow Cathedral and the Necropolis that overlooks it from the neighbouring hill are the oldest and most atmospheric heart of Glasgow. The cathedral, dedicated to St Mungo, the city's founder, is the only medieval cathedral on the Scottish mainland to have survived the Protestant Reformation almost intact. The Necropolis is a great Victorian cemetery, a true "city of the dead" with thousands of monuments, grand tombs and a spectacular view over the city.
History
According to tradition, in the 6th century St Mungo, also known as Kentigern, founded a small Christian community on the banks of the Molendinar Burn: this was the beginning of Glasgow. A church was built over his tomb, and the present cathedral was built mainly between the 13th and 15th centuries. In 1560, with the Reformation, many Scottish churches were ransacked and destroyed, but Glasgow's craftsmen defended their cathedral, and it survived. Today it is a Church of Scotland church, cared for together with Historic Environment Scotland.
The Necropolis was opened in 1833 by the Merchants' House, inspired by the Père Lachaise cemetery in Paris. At a time when Glasgow was one of the richest cities in the Empire, families of industrialists and merchants competed to build the most magnificent monuments.
- 6th centurySt Mungo founds a Christian community on the Molendinar
- 1197A first stone cathedral is consecrated
- 13th-15th centuryThe present Gothic cathedral is built
- 1560The cathedral survives the Protestant Reformation
- 1825The monument to John Knox is erected on the hill
- 1833The Necropolis opens
What to see
The cathedral
The dark, massive Gothic exterior hides a surprising interior. The nave has a timber roof and beautiful modern stained glass, much of it made after the Second World War. The choir is separated by a carved stone screen. But the most atmospheric place is the lower church, a Gothic crypt with a forest of columns and vaults, where you will find the tomb of St Mungo, a place of pilgrimage for centuries. Also worth seeing is the Blacader Aisle, a chapel whose ceiling is decorated with carved bosses.
The Necropolis
From the cathedral you cross the "Bridge of Sighs" and climb the hill of the Necropolis. Along its paths you come across around 3,500 monuments in every style: Greek temples, Egyptian obelisks, Gothic mausoleums, columns and statues, some designed by great architects, including a headstone designed by a young Charles Rennie Mackintosh. At the top stands the column with the statue of John Knox, the Protestant reformer, erected in 1825, before the cemetery itself. From the summit there is one of the finest views over Glasgow and the cathedral.
Provand's Lordship
Opposite the cathedral stands Provand's Lordship, built in 1471, the oldest house in Glasgow, with rooms furnished with 17th-century furniture and a small medicinal herb garden. Entry is free.
Practical information
Entry to the cathedral and the Necropolis is free. The cathedral has reduced opening hours on Sundays because of services. Volunteers from the Friends of Glasgow Necropolis organise guided tours that tell the stories of the people buried there. The paths on the hill are steep.
Getting there
- On foot: about 15 minutes from the centre and George Square, along High Street.
- By train: the nearest station is High Street, about 10 minutes' walk away.
- By air: Glasgow Airport is about 20 minutes away.
Nearby
- High Street and the Merchant City district, with its bars and restaurants.
- The Burrell Collection and Kelvingrove Art Gallery.
- See also Glasgow and the Presbyterian Church.
Tips
- How long: an hour for the cathedral, an hour for the Necropolis.
- When to go: all year round; on clear days the view from the hill is magnificent.
- A tip: visit the cathedral crypt and then climb up to the Necropolis towards sunset, when the light slips between the monuments.