Visite audio d'Aberdeen : Une odyssée du Vieil Aberdeen

To spot the Aberdeen Mosque and Islamic Centre, look for a grand, grey granite building with two round towers at each corner and a forest of bright windows lining the facade, standing tall just ahead of you. Now, take a deep breath and listen as you stand at the heart of what is, believe it or not, the largest mosque and Islamic centre in all of North East Scotland! This isn't just any building-this is a place with a story almost as layered as its beautiful stone walls. Picture it: the year is 1980. A handful of brave university students and a couple of local business folk spot a need-a place for prayers, for community, for togetherness. But where do they start? With just a tiny house, right beside the University. Can you imagine everyone squeezing in for prayers, probably elbow-to-elbow, shoes neatly lined up outside and laughter echoing in the hallway? But the community kept growing, like dough rising in a warm kitchen! Soon, one small house just wouldn't do, so more and more neighbouring homes were added until finally, they moved here-this fantastic structure you're admiring now on Frederick Street, which became the bustling Aberdeen Central Mosque. And here's the twist: the original mosque at Spital is still going strong, especially for students and locals nearby. Talk about having your cake and eating it! But AMIC is about much more than just prayers. Imagine the buzz on open days when doors are flung wide for everyone-Muslim and non-Muslim alike-to step inside and share stories, ask questions, even taste sweet dates and warm tea. Today, it's a place for life’s biggest moments-a marriage, a baby’s birth, even those emotional goodbyes. It runs schools all week: lively Madrasah classes, special lessons for boys and girls, and even iGCSE Islamic Studies. Above all, it's a home for unity and friendship-one that welcomes the whole city to peek in, have a chat, and leave with a story or two to share. Who knows, maybe you’ll be tempted to pop in at the next open day-if nothing else, for the biscuits!

To spot Snow Kirk, look for a small, leafy graveyard surrounded by old stone walls and scattered with moss-covered headstones and weathered tombs-it’ll be right in front of you, tucked peacefully away beside the university buildings. Now, close your eyes for a second (well, not if you’re walking!) and imagine you’re standing right here five hundred years ago-except instead of quiet, all you hear are echoing voices in Latin, the low chanting of prayers, and perhaps the clinking coins sent from a king. That’s because this very spot, known as the Snow Kirk, has a story steeped in mystery, royalty, and a bit of weather-related folklore. It started as a humble church named after St Mary of the Snows in Rome, but don’t let the name fool you-it wasn’t because Aberdeen had more snow than anywhere else, although I’m sure some locals would claim it! It was tied to a Carmelite friary, and according to legend, Bishop Elphinstone himself had a hand in founding it back in the 15th century. King James IV even funded its walls, so you could say it had some real royal backing-no skimping on spiritual architecture here. But life here at the Snow Kirk wasn’t all peaceful prayers and snowy blessings. After serving for a time as a chapel to King’s College, its fortunes changed abruptly in 1499, when St Machar’s Cathedral stole the show and Snow Kirk lost its parish status, shrinking in importance almost overnight. By the Reformation in the 1560s, its congregation was barely big enough to fill a small classroom-just 30 souls at most! As illegal Catholicism crept in, the kirk became notorious for ‘unauthorised’ gatherings. When officials tried shutting it down, people just kept sneaking back in. I guess you could say old Aberdeen folk were as stubborn as their chilly winters. Eventually, the kirk fell into ruin-demolished down to waist-high walls, but still cherished as a place for burials. Today, you’ll find gravestones for bishops like John Geddes and James Grant, the Lord Provost Gilbert Menzies, and even a few university professors. So as you walk among these stones, imagine you’re brushing shoulders with centuries of Aberdeen’s secrets and stories-just try not to spook yourself if you feel a chilly breeze!

To your right, you’ll spot Christ’s College: an impressive granite building with tall, pointed windows and a clock tower rising above its roof-just look for the castle-like spires along the top! Alright, picture this: it’s 1843, and the streets of Aberdeen are buzzing with excitement, confusion, and maybe a wee bit of outrage. That year saw what’s known as “The Disruption”-not a dodgy wifi signal, but a major split in Scotland's church! Christ’s College sprang up soon after, thanks to the Free Church of Scotland, built to train ministers who were ready to stand by their beliefs, rain or shine. Imagine young men arriving at this very spot, their boots echoing on the cobblestones, hearts pounding with the weight of their calling. The building buzzed with debate-some friendly, some fierce-echoing from those beautiful, stained-glass windows you see now. Over time, things settled down, and in 1929, Christ’s College joined the Church of Scotland, becoming part of the University of Aberdeen. These days, the college is a dynamic part of university life, working hand in hand with the School of Divinity. The folks who pass through these doors don’t just memorize old texts-they wrestle with big questions and occasionally, I hear, argue over who makes the best tea in Aberdeen. Christ’s College looks after future ministers, helping them grow academically, spiritually, and, I bet, discovering which pew is the squeakiest during weekly Chapter Service. And if you wander the hallways, you’ll find the Divinity Library, humming with students deep in thought, and perhaps overhear a whispered “Aha!” from someone unravelling a theological mystery. Every year, the best student is honored with the Lumsden and Sachs Fellowship-proof that greatness still walks these old, granite halls. Steeped in history and brimming with debate, Christ’s College is no ordinary landmark; it’s a place where Scotland’s heart and mind come to meet.

Straight ahead, you’ll spot a striking cube-shaped building wrapped in bold white and clear glass stripes that zigzag up to the sky-just look for the zebra pattern standing tall over the landscape! Welcome to the Sir Duncan Rice Library, where knowledge towers high above Aberdeen-and fashion sense apparently means dressing like a zebra! If you’re standing here, just imagine it’s 2011, and the University of Aberdeen is buzzing with excitement. After years of relying on the much smaller Queen Mother Library, the University decided it was time for a radical makeover. The Queen Mum’s place wasn’t exactly keeping up with the times-or the growing mountain of books. So, after a global search, the Danish architects at Schmidt Hammer Lassen were chosen in a restricted competition to build something extraordinary, and “extraordinary” is exactly what you see in front of you. Look at the building’s glass stripes-those jagged lines almost look like they've been painted by a giant with a fondness for bold brush strokes. The library rests on a base of Scottish stone, and its design makes it impossible to miss. The moment sunlight hits those angled windows, the whole thing can shimmer and reflect like a giant ice cube left out on a zebra crossing. Inside is even wilder: while the outside is all straight edges and sharp corners, the central atrium inside is a swirl of curves and shifting light. It’s as if the architects thought, “Let’s have a party with geometry!” This seven-storey giant houses 1,200 reading spaces and a whopping 13 kilometers of shelving-enough room for 400,000 books, if you fancy counting! But it’s not just about books. Long before eBooks and TikTok, the University’s collection had started-five centuries ago! Thanks to this building, ancient manuscripts and priceless books now have a fortress. There’s even public exhibition space in case you want to gaze at some treasures or, you know, pretend you’re Indiana Jones for a day. But the library isn’t just smart on the inside. It’s clever too! BREEAM rated it “Excellent” for being super environmentally friendly. The librarians here are so dedicated, they even flush toilets with rainwater-don’t worry, the water is quite clean. Solar panels help with power, and lights have been trained by programmed timers to only shine when they’re needed. There’s a pinch of drama to its history, too. The massive stone base came from Caithness, and building the new library was the single biggest fundraising effort ever at the university-let’s just say there were probably more late-night planning meetings than student pizza parties. The project wrapped up in 2011, and not long after, the building was named for Duncan Rice, the former principal who dreamed big and helped raise the funds. The Queen herself turned up to officially open it in 2012-though I have it on good authority she didn’t try the rainwater toilets. By now, more than 700,000 people have wandered through its vast halls in just its first year. And if you’re wondering about the funky sculpture out front, Evolutionary Loop 517 greets you as you enter-a sort of bronze “hello” from the future. With awards lining its walls and rave reviews around the world, you’re looking at more than just a library. You’re standing before Aberdeen’s glorious treasure chest of knowledge!

Picture the year 1495. Scotland is wild and remote, the north even more so-think less Google Maps, more “hope you brought a compass and a woolly jumper.” William Elphinstone, the Bishop of Aberdeen, saw that people here needed more than just fishing skills and a taste for haggis-they needed educated leaders. So, with the blessing of King James IV and a persuasive letter to Pope Alexander VI, Elphinstone founded King’s College right here in Old Aberdeen. It was only Scotland’s third university and just the fifth in the entire English-speaking world. Makes you wonder: who got to be the class clown in 1495? Probably someone failing Latin! Back then, King's College looked a bit different. Imagine a walled-off sanctuary. Inside, monks hustling along stone corridors, the aroma of bread baking in the college’s own kitchens, and somewhere, the clatter of tankards in their brewery. And, of course, the Crown Tower-look up and you’ll see its famous crown, still topping the skyline like a jewel. That’s not just for decoration; it’s also a symbol for the whole university. Now, picture the rivalry heating up like a Highland caber toss. In 1593, George Keith, a modernizing Earl, thought “Why let King’s College have all the fun?” and founded Marischal College in Aberdeen’s new, bustling center. The two became academic rivals: King's, old and traditional, Marischal, young and progressive. They competed for students, professors, and even got into the odd street brawl. That’s right-forget pajama-clad pranks; students then were more “Battle of the Books” than “silent reading.” Every great story needs a twist, and Aberdeen’s universities kept trying (and mostly failing) to merge. Charles I even united them briefly in the 1640s, but as soon as the monarchy changed, they split-talk about “it’s not you, it’s me.” Over the centuries, they both contributed big ideas to the Scottish Enlightenment, and their faculty hosted what’s now seen as the “Who’s Who” of philosophers and scientists in their famous Aberdeen Philosophical Society, also known as the Wise Club. If only Socrates had been there for the debate nights! Finally, in 1860, the city’s academic civil war drew to a close and the two colleges officially became the University of Aberdeen. Marischal’s grand granite building is now Aberdeen’s city council HQ, but you can still visit some university halls and museums there. Fast-forward through time, and the University of Aberdeen keeps growing. Women joined the university in the 1890s-about time! By the 20th century, new buildings were popping up, some bold and modern, others echoing the grand old architecture. You might spot the distinctive Fraser Noble Building, with a “concrete crown” to match the original-imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, right? Let’s not forget the more recent additions. The Sir Duncan Rice Library, just nearby, is a shimmering glass tower that looks like a zebra got cold and sat down in the granite. And hidden gems like the Cruickshank Botanic Garden and the quirky Powis Gateway with its minarets keep this place full of surprises. The University’s not all about academics-well, maybe it is, but there’s still time for a joke or two. Did you hear why the student ate his homework? Because the professors said it was a piece of cake! Seriously, though, with a campus that covers everything from medicine to music, science to storytelling, this is a place that never stops buzzing. As you stand here, let the stories soak in-the scholars plotting ideas, the echoes of protest and progress, and those resilient students, braving rain and exams alike. Today, the university remains a lively hub for thinkers, dreamers, and doers from all over the world. And who knows? Maybe one day you’ll be one of the legends whispered about in these old stone halls. Intrigued by the buildings and campuses, organisation and administration or the symbols of the university? Explore further by joining me in the chat section below.

To spot the Zoology Building, look for a large, strikingly modern white and grey building with bold lines and a grid-like wall of windows standing proudly above the road-you really can’t miss it as you approach from the street. Now, as you stand before the Zoology Building, imagine you’re stepping into a place with a story as dramatic as any nature documentary. Back in the 1960s, building this place was no walk in the park. In 1966, during construction, there was a sudden, awful collapse. Eight men were trapped, and sadly, five lost their lives-a moment when even the hard hats must have held their breath. The site was a tangled mess for months, cleared away in the cold Aberdeen air, but the spirit of the university didn’t falter. Like a phoenix, the Zoology Building rose again, opening in 1970 on the very spot where its predecessor fell. Inside is a treasure chest: Aberdeen’s own Zoology Museum. Imagine cabinets stuffed with creatures collected over 150 years-from mysterious beetles to a single, rare egg that turned out to belong to the elusive Jerdon's courser. It was hiding in a drawer for years before being found-talk about a game of high-stakes hide and seek! Even Hollywood took notice: the building made a cameo in the movie Tetris as a stand-in for a Soviet government headquarters. Quite a resume, don’t you think?