Aberdeen, Scotland, The Granite City And Places To Visit
Aberdeen is Scotland’s third largest city, in relationship to population numbers. Since the mid eighteenth century Aberdeen’s buildings have been built using local grey granite and the city has a sandy coastline. This has led to the city being nicknamed the Silver City with the Golden Sands and also the Granite City. However more recently the city has added the nicknames of the Energy Capital of Europe or the Oil Capital of Europe due to the discovery of oil in the North Sea. The city has benefitted greatly from the income generated by the oil industry and the support industries. Today Aberdeen is thoroughly modern and immensely vibrant with a wild nighlife.
Aberdeen hotels are often booked by visiting businessmen and businesswomen but also by various other types of tourists eager to enjoy the many visitor attractions Aberdeen has to offer. Below you will find details of three; Aberdeen Maritime Museum, Duthie Park Winter Gardens and Satrosphere Science Centre:
Aberdeen Maritime Museum
The Maritime Museum in Aberdeen is found close to the harbor, at the historic Shiprow. There are stunning panoramas of the harbour from the museum. The Maritime Museum occupies quite a few buildings, which include a former church and one of the oldest dwellings in Aberdeen. The museum has exhibits which cover everything to do with the oceanic environment, from fishing boats to the oil industry. In essence, the museum tells the story of the city’s long relationship with the ocean. Some of the collections contain models, photographs, paintings and ship plans from the foremost of Aberdeen’s shipbuilders.
Duthie Park Winter Gardens
Lady Elizabeth Duthie of Ruthrieston,in 1881, gifted to the council, 44 acres of land. The land for the park was purchased, as a lasting memorial to her uncle and brother. In 1899, the gardens were ready, and were opened to the public. However, in 1969 misfortune occurred and the greenhouses had to be demolished and reconstructed. This was due to severe storm damgage. Today, one of Scotland’s favourite garden attractions are the David Welch Winter Gardens at Duthie Park, and also the largest indoor gardens in the whole of Europe. Each greenhouse has an important collection such as, the Victorian House, Tropical House, Temperate House, Japanese Garden, Fern House and Corridor of Perfumes.
Satrosphere Science Centre
One of the first science and discovery centers in Scotland was the, Satrosphere Science Center, in Aberdeen. This hands-on, interactive science center, has over 50 exhibits and live science demonstrations, and opened to the public in 1988. Although the center is aimed at primary age children, the appeal of the exhibits is universal. The center is found in the old tram sheds, close to the sea front, on Constitution Street. The aim is to inspire teenagers to become scientist’s, as interest in science courses in universities, is in decline. One of the best loved exhibits at the center is the famous giant soap bubble, where each child can be encompassed within a magic bubble.
There are a great many more tourist attractions in and about Aberdeen which are worthwile visiting and the three above were randomly chosen. If you are planning to take a vacation in Aberdeen, Scotland then you will discover numerous quality hotels in Aberdeen, or many other types of accommodation, available to book online.
Tags: Aberdeen, Scotland, Scottish vacations, United Kingdom
