The Highland Tolbooth Kirk, now better known as The Hub, is one of the most characteristic buildings in Edinburgh, with its silhouette visible from all around the Old Town.
One of Edinburgh’s landmark buildings
Its spire is part of the unmistakable skyline of the Old Town and can be seen from almost anywhere in the city.
As you walk up the Royal Mile towards the Castle, a large church-like building will catch your eye. It is The Hub, whose spire is the highest point in Edinburgh, at about 72 metres, topped by a great neo-Gothic spire. You’ll pass right by it on our Old Town walking tour with a local guide.
Apart from its striking neo-Gothic style, the most noticeable thing about The Hub is its dark sandstone, which makes it look older than it really is. Which century would you say it was built in?
Practical information
Opening hours
- Daily
- 9.30am–7pm
Entry
Free. Tickets for concerts and events are priced separately.
Origins as the Highland Tolbooth Kirk
Originally known as the Highland Tolbooth Kirk, it was built by the Church of Scotland between 1842 and 1845, very close to Edinburgh Castle, where the Lawnmarket meets Castlehill. It was designed by two of the most famous architects of the time: the Scot James Gillespie Graham and the Englishman Augustus Pugin.
Despite its appearance and name, it was never formally consecrated as a church: the Church of Scotland built it as the meeting place of its General Assembly, which met here until 1929, when it moved to the Assembly Hall on the Mound. The building was then used by different congregations until they united with Greyfriars Kirk, and it eventually closed.
Transformation into The Hub
The interior was completely remodelled, and the building reopened as The Hub in 1999, a multi-purpose space for concerts and events. It is the home of the Edinburgh International Festival, held every August (not to be confused with the Festival Fringe, a different festival). Access and facilities depend on the programme.
Before the new Scottish Parliament building was built, at the bottom of the Royal Mile opposite the Palace of Holyroodhouse, Parliament usually met in the Assembly Hall, but The Hub occasionally hosted parliamentary sessions between 1999 and 2004.
And in 2006, after a beam came loose in the debating chamber of the new Parliament, MSPs met at The Hub again for two weeks.
Location
You’ll find The Hub at the top of the Royal Mile, where the Lawnmarket meets Castlehill.
Get directions to The Hub.