The University of Aberdeen

Allow me to introduce you to my school...

The University of Aberdeen was founded in 1495 (just 3 years after Christopher Columbus discovered America!), and was originally known as King's College. It is the third oldest University in Scotland, and is located in what is known as Old Aberdeen, the oldest part of the city. Today King's College is the central core of the University, the oldest academic buildings, and the location of my study office. The most recognizable feature of the University (and the oldest part of King's College) is the King's College Chapel, topped by the Crown Tower - only two of which now exist in Scotland.

The buildings of King's College are set up in a square, with an open Quadrangle in the center. Most of these buildings (other than the chapel) date from the 1800s, though the chapel has been preserved since the earliest days of the College. In front of the chapel lies the monument to Bishop Elphinstone, founder of King's College. Interestingly, this monument proved too large to fit through the chapel doors - hence its permanent outdoor location.

Directly behind the chapel one finds Cromwell Tower, where my office is located on the second floor (what we would call the third floor). The Tower is the rather square buildling in the middle of the pictures below.

Other important buildings on campus include Elphinstone Hall, which lies just outside the Quadrangle. It is the building on the lefthand side of the photos above, with the archways (also the first picture below). New King's College (second picture below) is one of the oldest academic buildings in the modern part of the University, and was built in such a way that its architecture harmonizes with the Chapel and Quadrangle buildings. One accesses New King's College through an ornate gateway.

The University itself is quite spread out, although these original buildings of King's College are centrally and conveniently located. However, one can't get far on campus without experiencing the cobble-stone streets and sidewalks and the various narrow alleyways which lead from High Street (the main road on campus) to the outer buildings.

Here are a few of my other favorite photos of this picturesque and ancient campus. This is one of the ornate chapel windows. Note: I plan to attend an organ concert in the chapel on Tuesday, so hopefully I'll have some inside photos to share soon.

This is the statue Youth with Split Apple, located directly outside of New King's College. You can see the Crown of the Chapel in the background.

And lastly, probably my favorite photo so far of the University. This was taken looking at King's College Chapel through the archways of Elphinstone Hall. Pretty cool!