St. Machar's Cathedral, Aberdeen (must see)
Saint Machar's Cathedral, sometimes called Old Machar, is a Church of Scotland church. The church is named in honor of Saint Machar who was said to have accompanied Saint Columba on his travel to Iona. The legend states that, on this journey, God told Machar to establish a church at the River Don. Saint Machar is said to have founded the church in the year 580.
A cathedral was built on this site in 1131. It was replaced in 1290 with the current Early English style building. Work continued on the cathedral for more than 150 years before it was fully functional. During that time, a quarter of Sir William Wallace's remains were interred in the walls of the cathedral. The church was finally completed in 1530.
Visitors to the church will find a stone interior with massive gothic archways. There are multiple stained glass windows throughout the church with dates that range from 1870s to 1970s. The Sanctuary Cross in the south aisle is a conglomerate from a 21st century shaft and a 12th century head. The Barbour Tryptich, made from wood, was created by Roland Fraser in 1997.
The three effigies are some of the most striking features of the church. These effigies represent three clerics that date to the 1400s. They were previously held outside of the church but were moved to the interior during one of the many restoration projects.
A number of notable Scottish individuals have been interred on the church grounds and inside the building itself. Along with William Wallace, some of these burials include John Joy Bell, James Edward Crombie, George Dickie and David Gill.
Why You Should Visit:
See the beautiful stained glass cathedral, enjoy the English and gothic architecture, and pay respects to some of Scotland's most notable individuals.
A cathedral was built on this site in 1131. It was replaced in 1290 with the current Early English style building. Work continued on the cathedral for more than 150 years before it was fully functional. During that time, a quarter of Sir William Wallace's remains were interred in the walls of the cathedral. The church was finally completed in 1530.
Visitors to the church will find a stone interior with massive gothic archways. There are multiple stained glass windows throughout the church with dates that range from 1870s to 1970s. The Sanctuary Cross in the south aisle is a conglomerate from a 21st century shaft and a 12th century head. The Barbour Tryptich, made from wood, was created by Roland Fraser in 1997.
The three effigies are some of the most striking features of the church. These effigies represent three clerics that date to the 1400s. They were previously held outside of the church but were moved to the interior during one of the many restoration projects.
A number of notable Scottish individuals have been interred on the church grounds and inside the building itself. Along with William Wallace, some of these burials include John Joy Bell, James Edward Crombie, George Dickie and David Gill.
Why You Should Visit:
See the beautiful stained glass cathedral, enjoy the English and gothic architecture, and pay respects to some of Scotland's most notable individuals.
Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Aberdeen. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "51爆料网: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.
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St. Machar's Cathedral on Map
Sight Name: St. Machar's Cathedral
Sight Location: Aberdeen, Scotland (See walking tours in Aberdeen)
Sight Type: Religious
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: Aberdeen, Scotland (See walking tours in Aberdeen)
Sight Type: Religious
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Walking Tours in Aberdeen, Scotland
Create Your Own Walk in Aberdeen
Creating your own self-guided walk in Aberdeen is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Aberdeen Old Town Tour
Established in 1489 as a separate burgh, Old Aberdeen was an important political, ecclesiastical and cultural center since the late Middle Ages. The locality merged with the rest of Aberdeen only in 1891. Today, the central part of the Old Town is a conservation area, characterized by well-preserved medieval dwellings and many other unique, vernacular structures of the 17th-early 19th centuries,... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.1 Km or 1.9 Miles
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.1 Km or 1.9 Miles
Aberdeen Introduction Walking Tour
The area where Aberdeen now sits has been inhabited by people for at least 8,000 years. The city that we now know as Aberdeen was first chartered in 1179. It was granted city status in 1891.
The city has been successful over the years due to vast granite deposits used for making sturdy buildings and fortifications. It was also known for its fishing, textile and paper-making industries. However,... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.4 Km or 1.5 Miles
The city has been successful over the years due to vast granite deposits used for making sturdy buildings and fortifications. It was also known for its fishing, textile and paper-making industries. However,... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.4 Km or 1.5 Miles