Explore Fascinating Elgin
As you walk the streets of the Scottish town of Elgin, you’ll discover that the town’s beautifully preserved architecture creates a wonderful sense of charm whilst at the same time providing a glimpse into the history of this ancient Scottish settlement. Today the Royal Burgh of Elgin, which was established within the country of Moray, has become a bustling commercial capital.
The ancient burgh of Elgin in Scotland was created by Alexander II during the 1300s. It didn’t take long for it to grow into a thriving young town along the Lossie River. The settlement featured a number of stunning sights that spanned from the nostalgic Elgin Cathedral, built in 1224, in the west to the majestic Castle on Lady Hill in the east. Since then the city has grown all the way to the south coast of Moray Firth, some five miles away. The once striking Elgin Cathedral is now a haunting and beautiful ruin within this sprawling metropolitan area. This magnificent building, which was once the seat of the Diocese of Moray, met a tumultuous end in 1390 when the Wolf of Badenoch burnt it down to get revenge on Bishop Alexander Bur who had him excommunicated. She was subsequently rebuilt, only to suffer harm during the reformation. She was never fully restored and eventually nature took its course. Today the cathedral is nothing more than an eerie but enchanting ruin. The original meticulous and delicate features still seep through, helping visitors to picture her former glory.
Unlike the cathedral, the little city of Elgin still stands proudly. A number of the original eighteenth century buildings still retain some of their arched facades and this makes for interesting sight seeing. In fact, Elgin has a remarkably homely feeling. This is evident in the cobbled market place, the wonderfully aged homes and the friendly faces that walk these aged streets. Even the more modern buildings have been carefully designed to mimic certain elements of the older structures. This has helped to maintain the medieval feeling that has become synonymous with the town of Elgin. Elgin is approximately 590 miles from London central, 190 miles from Glasgow, and 170 miles from Edinburgh and 125 miles from Perth. So visit this great little Scottish town and immerse yourself in history during your next trip to the UK!