Rosslyn Chapel

📌 Roslin, Midlothian
★★★★

Positioned overlooking the verdant folds of Roslin Glen (see our walks to the west and east), Rosslyn Chapel rose to worldwide fame through its inclusion in Dan Brown’s 2003 novel, The Da Vinci Code, and later film of the same name. In the years since, hundreds of thousands of paying visitors annually have enabled the opening of a smart visitor / interpretation centre as well as major restoration of the building’s stonework and roof, probably leaving the chapel looking better than it has for several centuries. Even without the film and book, this is a fascinating building and work of art. Rosslyn Chapel dates to 1446, when founder William St Clair ordered the construction of a collegiate church. The project spanned decades: not even the walls had been finished by the time he died in 1484, after which work continued on the choir; the nave and transepts were abandoned. The carvings in Gothic style are breathtaking in their ornateness, ranging from elaborate flying buttresses and gargoyles on the exterior to Biblical and natural symbols inside (where photos aren’t permitted). There are some entertaining stories attached too: find out about the tale of the master mason and his apprentice at one of the frequent talks by chapel guides.