Introduction
Aberdeen (the city of granite) is the third largest city in Scotland. Aberdeen
It is the main commercial center and seaport in Northeast
Scotland. It boasts the title of the Oil Capital of Europe thanks to the
abundant supply of crude oil in the North Sea, and is located in a bay of
the North Sea, between the mouths of the Don and Dee rivers.
History
Aberdeen grew as two separate boroughs: Old Aberdeen at the mouth of the
the Don and New Aberdeen, a commercial and fishing settlement where the
Denburn entered the Dee Estuary. The first card was awarded by
King William the Lion around 1179, confirming corporate rights
granted by David I. The city received other royal letters later. On
1319, the Great Letter of Robert the Bruce transformed Aberdeen into a
Owning property and financially independent community. The city was
burned by Edward III of England in 1336, but was soon rebuilt and
extended and called New Aberdeen.
For many centuries the city was
subject to attacks from neighboring lords, and was strongly
fortified, but the gates were removed in 1770. In the 18th century
A new Town Hall was built, elegantly furnished with a marble fireplace.
from Holland and a set of fine crystal chandeliers and sconces. Tea
The 19th century was a time of considerable expansion. In 1901 the
The population was 153,000 and the city covered over 6,000 acres (24
km²). At the end of the 18th century, the council embarked on a plan
of road improvements, and by 1805 George Street, King Street and Union
The streets were open, the latter a feat of extraordinary engineering skill.
which involves the partial leveling of the Santa Catalina hill and the building
of arches to carry the street over Putachieside. Increasing
Aberdeen’s economic importance and shipbuilding development
and the fishing industries brought with them the need to improve port facilities.
During this century a large part of the port was built as it exists today
including Victoria Dock, South Breakwater and the extension of the
North Pier.
Places of interest
The main attractions for tourists in Aberdeen are the
museums, art galleries and the Scottish castle trails. Here is a list
of interesting places in Aberdeen:
Museums and art galleries
The city is blessed with amenities that cover a wide range of cultural activities.
activities and has a selection of museums. The Aberdeen Art Gallery
houses a collection of 20th century, Victorian, Scottish and Impressionists
British paintings of the century, as well as collections of silver and glass.
It also includes The Alexander Macdonald Bequest, a collection of the latest
Works from the 19th century donated by the museum’s first benefactor and a
ever-changing collection of contemporary and regular work
visiting exhibitions. Some of Aberdeen’s other museums and art
the galleries are:
Fine granite theater that provides a home for popular entertainments.
Shopping
Major business districts focus on specialty stores in Chapel and
Thistle streets and the well-known chains of George and Union streets.
Of interest to collectors, Colin Wood, stores furniture, wall clocks,
and grandfather clocks from the 17th to the early 20th century.
Someone may also want to browse through the eclectic mix of bric-a-brac
antiques at Elizabeth Watts Studio, where items include glass, brass,
antique jewelry, porcelain, silver, and some small furniture. For
shopping for gifts in one place, visit Nova, which sells china, silver
jewelry, rugs, clothing, toys, cards, and wrapping paper.
Other interesting stores are Grandad’s Attic, which specializes in art.
Decorative ceramics and antique pine furniture; Scots only, retailers from
quality items, all made in Scotland, including ceramics, knitwear,
textiles, silver and jewelry; and Alex Scott & Co. the city
best kiltmakers.
Food and drinks
Although Aberdeen is a well known city, it does not have many
restaurants available. Mainly all restaurants and bars offer
continental or British / Irish / Scottish cuisine. Some of the famous
places to eat and drink are:
Education
The first of Aberdeen’s two universities, the University of Aberdeen,
It was founded in 1495 by William Elphinstone, Bishop of Aberdeen and
Chancellor of Scotland. The University of Aberdeen is Scotland’s third
oldest and fifth oldest university in the UK.
Robert Gordon College (originally Robert Gordon Hospital) was
founded in and in the 1990s became coeducational and one day
school. It also produced the Robert Gordon Institute of Technology,
which became Robert Gordon University in 1992.
Gray’s School of Art, founded in 1886, is one of the oldest established
art colleges in the UK. Aberdeen College has several campuses in
Aberdeen and offers a wide variety of part-time and full-time courses.
leading to several different ratings. Northern College was a
teacher training school with campuses in Aberdeen and Dundee. In 2000,
the Aberdeen campus of Northern College became the University of
Aberdeen School of Education. Aberdeen Grammar School, (now
integral, despite its name) founded in 1263 and one of the oldest
schools in Britain.
sports
Aberdeen Football Club was founded in 1903. Its greatest success was
win the Recopa de Europa in 1983 and three Liga
Championships between 1980 and 1986. The club’s stadium is Pittodrie
which has the distinction of being Britain’s first all-terrain vehicle
Stadium. Aberdeen FC has the distinction of being the last team to
have won the Scottish Premier League championship outside the Old Firm
and it is the only Scottish team to have won two European trophies by adding
to his success in the European Cup Winners’ Cup by winning the European Super Cup
Cup also in 1983. Renowned footballers who have played for the club
include Gordon Strachan (current Celtic coach), Alex McLeish (current
Rangers manager) and club legend Willie Miller. Denis Law, the joint
The top scorer for the Scottish national team was also born in the city,
but he spent his professional career playing for English and Italian clubs.
Aberdeen Golf Club was founded in 1815. It has two 18-hole courses on
Balgownie, north of the Don River. There are other golf courses in
Auchmill, Balnagask, Hazlehead and King’s Links.
Tours and sightseeing
The Aberdeen Tourist Information Center, where staff often
find the right way to visit Aberdeen. Some other organized tours
and travel agencies are in the city. These tours are organized by
operators and vary in their content, theme and price. The tours
They mainly feature museums, art galleries, Scottish castles, etc.
Hotels and Accommodation
Due to the increasing number of tourists and business travelers al
Granite City: Europe’s offshore oil capital and fewer hotels
compared to tourists: hotels are likely to be heavily booked
time of the year. Therefore, it is essential to book in advance before moving on to
the city. Some of the Aberdeen hotels (from affordable to
Luxury) are listed below:
Holiday Inn Aberdeen
Caledonian
Aberdeen
Suites with service
Altens
and Suites
House Hotel
Aberdeen
Transport
There are four main roads serving the city: A90, A96, A93, A92, A90 now
used as a tourist route.
The city’s original bypass, Anderson Drive, which was built in the
The 1930s has long been swallowed up by the expansion of the city, and it is
unsuitable for dealing with today’s traffic. To this end, a new principal
The ring road, the Western Peripheral Route, is planned to detour through
traffic away from the city center. The road is scheduled to open in 2010.
The city is well served by the national rail network. Aberdeen has
regular rail services to Glasgow and Edinburgh, as well as long distance
trains to London via Edinburgh. It is possible to take more time
Scheduled train travel across the UK from Aberdeen. Regular
Trains also run northwest to Inverness and north to Dyce for
the airport.
Aberdeen also has an airport in the neighboring town of Dyce, which is
operated by BAA plc. In addition to connecting the city with the rest of the
United Kingdom, Aberdeen Airport (sometimes referred to as Dyce Airport) is the
the world’s largest helicopter terminal, serving the many North Sea countries
oil facilities. The IATA airport code for the airport is ABZ.