Glasgow Cathedral

Glasgow Cathedral has the distinction of being the oldest surviving Catholic Cathedral in Scotland. It shows the wear and tear of the Reformation though, as there were actually battles inside the building on occasion, and you can still see bullet holes in stone and wood from the conflicts. (The Reformation has a dark and bloody history itself.) It is an immense Gothic structure. We were lucky enough to have found a volunteer guide to show us around and tell us some of the history. Nathan found him first and told him that I was a choir director and organist (!?Am I any more??) and because the guide was formally a professional oboe player and is a composer,he seemed delighted to have found a fellow musician. The building is built upon a sight where Saint Mungo is believed to have preformed a miracle of bringing a bird back to life. There is also a story that involves a faithless queen, a wedding ring and a fish, but it's complicated. Google it for yourself, if you're curious.


There is still one surviving column in the basement of the church from the 11th century. Amazing. I love stained glass windows. Here are some of the highlights.