Dunblane Cathedral — Attraction in Scotland

While walking back to our vehicle after touring the village of Dunblane, I heard faint singing voices. Since we were passing the historic Dunblane Cathedral, I quickly surmised that a choir must be performing nearby. I signaled to Jenny to listen, confirming my suspicion. She too heard the singing. I pinpointed the source of the sound and entered a building adjacent to the church. Inside, I was met with a room full of elderly individuals swaying to a melody. Our eyes met with a lady who seemed integral to the event. She approached us, inquiring if she could assist. I explained our curiosity, drawn by the choir sounds, while emphasizing our intention not to intrude on a private event. The lady reassured us, explaining the gathering was for elders with #dementia and their families, engaged in a program using musical scenes from old movies to evoke memories. As the scenes played, prompting collective singing, I found myself moved to join in during one particularly nostalgic clip. This spontaneous act of participation seemed to deepen my connection to the event. Our host explained the therapeutic impact of these scenes, triggering profound memories and joy among the participants. The room was filled with moments of recognition and love, visibly moving everyone involved, including Jenny and me, who were nearly brought to tears by the display of affection and remembrance. In one instance, a man took his hand and began to stroke the hair of his loved one. That moment was so moving that I fought the tears. Despite the urge to capture this poignant moment with my camera, I decided against it, respecting the intimacy and sanctity of the experience. After expressing our heartfelt thanks to our host for allowing us to share in this touching moment, we departed, profoundly affected by the power of music to bridge memories and...

The beautiful Dunblane Cathedral, initially consisting of the bell tower, was originally built in the 11th Century. More was built in 15th Century, and a full restoration completed in 1889. As well as being a beautiful tourist attraction, it is also still an active church for the local community. The oldest, tallest part, is the bell tower. Bishop Clement, with support from the Pope, built the cathedral next to the bell tower in the 13th Century. The building is maintained by Historic Scotland. The roof of the nave fell in and that part was abandoned for 300 years. There are many beautiful carvings and very colourful stained glass windows within. There is also a modern monument inside to the children were killed in the Dunblane...

The following review is based on a pre-pandemic trip going old school and only using paper maps and brochures to find places to stop at on a 3-week adventure to Ireland, Scotland, and England. No cell phone or internet.

This was one of the few old cathedrals we explored inside as there was no fee. Other Cathedral's should take note there if by chance reading this post. As with most of these gothic style cathedrals, the architecture is amazing. One thing that is hard to show on pictures is the stain glass. There amount of detail in them is amazing and also probably was a real pain to put together.

This is a great stop if you are interested in this style of architecture or exploring old cathedral's that we do not get...