General Information
Aberdeen is the third largest city in Scotland, by population (206,850). It lies on the east coast of the North Sea between the rivers Don and Dee. The city is the cultural and industrial center of the north-east of Scotland.
Originally a royal city, it boasts attributes such as "silver" or "granite", thanks to the appearance and especially the colors of the local buildings. The city is also called the "European oil capital" because it is the seat of many mining companies. Another hallmark of Aberdeen is its port, shipping and fishing.
History
In the past, Aberdeen was formed from two cities: Old Aberdeen and New Aberdeen. Old Aberdeen lay around the mouth of the River Don, while New Aberdeen at the River Dee. Aberdeen gained city rights in 1179. Royal city rights in 1319, when the city was united by King Robert de Bruce of Scotland. He had great support from the locals, and soldiers from Aberdeen helped him in many battles.
In 1497, a smaller fortress was built near the port to protect it from the English. During the Civil War (1644-47) in 1644, the Battle of Aberdeen took place. In 1647, a quarter of the city's population died while plundering the city.
The name of the city probably comes from the Celtic words abh-ir "connection of waters, confluence" and deen (according to the rivers Dee and Don), but it is not completely historically documented.
Aberdeen - Quick guide
The main hallmark of Aberdeen are granite buildings. Almost all historic buildings are built of gray granite, so Aberdeen is called Granite City. The city center is located near the coast, northwest of the mouth of the river Dee into the North Sea.
The main street is Union Street, about 1.5 km long, which turns east into a small square Castlegate. Most of the city’s major buildings and monuments are located around this street, with the exception of St Machar's Cathedral.
Interesting facts
Southwest of the city are Crathes Castle and Drum Castle, a 13th century fortress, west of Balmoral Castle and the Cairngorms, with the second highest mountain in Great Britain Ben Macdui, 1 309 m high. The Cairngorms is part of the eponymous Cairngorms National Park.
