Aberdeen is a city located on the east coast of Scotland. The area has been inhabited for thousands of years and today’s Aberdeen goes back to two separate cities. Old Aberdeen was on the River Don, which is some distance north of the modern center, while New Aberdeen was a fishing town on the River Dee.

Aberdeen gained a city charter in 1179, and in the 14th century its castle was destroyed by Robert the Bruce, while the English under Edward III burned the city in 1336. However, Aberdeen was rebuilt and fortified to withstand possible attacks. During the British Civil War 1639-1651, however, it was looted several times. The city has developed since then with shipyards, harbor piers and oil industry, and Old Aberdeen became part of the city of Aberdeen in 1891.

Today you can go for some lovely walks in the center of Aberdeen. You can start on Castle Street, which to the east forms a square where the Mercat Cross from 1686 stands. The Mercat Crosses formed the center of the so-called burghs, and from here new kings were proclaimed.

To the east of the square was Aberdeen’s now historic castle, and today stands the castle-like building, The Salvation Army Citadel, which was built in 1896 with inspiration from Balmoral Castle. In this square you can also clearly see why Aberdeen is also called The Granite City. Aberdeen’s architecture is dominated by the large granite buildings of the Victorian era.

From Castle Street you can walk along its extension, Union Street, which is Aberdeen’s main street. At the start is the Tolbooth Museum, which was the town’s prison in the 17th-18th centuries, and the town’s impressive town hall, Aberdeen Town House, built in the Scottish Baronial style in 1874. Along Union Street, you can also see the Royal Bank of Scotland building and the concert hall named Music Hall, which opened in 1852.

The large church, Kirk of St Nicholas, is located along Union Street as well. The history of the church dates to the 12th century, but numerous alterations and extensions have shaped the building since then. Close to this is Marischal College, a neo-Gothic university building from 1837, which today is the seat of Aberdeen City Council.

Aberdeen’s rich maritime history is also worth a visit. You can, for example, walk along the active harbor along the streets Trinity Quay and Regent Quay, where you get a good feel of the shipping in the city. Here you can also see the Aberdeen Maritime Museum, which tells about the city’s maritime history with the history of the port, fishing, shipbuilding, commercial shipping, etc. You can of course also learn about the North Sea oil adventure at the museum.

You can walk along the North Sea promenades too, they are just east of Aberdeen city center, or you can go to Torry Battery south of the River Dee. Torry Battery was constructed in 1860 and is strategically located overlooking the entrance to the harbor of Aberdeen.

It is also possible to step back in time with a trip to Old Aberdeen, located a few kilometers north of today’s city center. Walk along the High Street to see Bishop Elphinstone’s Kings College, founded in 1495, and The Old Town House, built as a town hall in 1789 and now open as the King’s Museum.

If you continue north, you come to St Machar’s Cathedral, which with its atmospheric interior is one of Aberdeen’s most noteworthy buildings. The old church, which today has the status of a high church, is a good example of a fortified church known from several buildings throughout the Middle Ages.