Template:FP-Aberdeen

Union Street, Aberdeen

Aberdeen Aberdeen is the county town of Aberdeenshire, the most populous city of north and a major centre of the North Sea oil industry. The 'Granite City' was so named from its buildings built with locally quarried grey granite, whose mica deposits sparkle like silver. The city has a long, sandy coastline. Since the discovery of North Sea oil in the 1970s, other nicknames have been the Oil Capital of Europe or the Energy Capital of Europe. In 1319, Aberdeen received Royal Burgh status from Robert the Bruce, transforming the city economically. The city has two universities; the University of Aberdeen was founded in 1495, which makes it one of the oldest in Britain, while the Robert Gordon University was founded in 1729 and elevated to university status in 1992. The traditional industries of fishing, paper-making, shipbuilding, and textiles have been overtaken by the oil industry and Aberdeen's seaport. In consequence, Aberdeen has become a major world centre for engineering expertise. (Read more)