There are over 30 places named Aberdeen throughout the world.
Aberdeen Harbour Board, established in 1136, is Britain’s oldest business.
In 1808 the entire fishing village of Footdee (Fittie) was moved partly to accommodate harbour expansion and partly because the residents had requested it.
Sir David Gill, who took the first photograph of the moon, in 1868, was born in Aberdeen.
The Shore Porters Society of Aberdeen was founded in 1498. Still trading today it is the world’s oldest documented transport company.
Union Street is named to commemorate the Union of Britain and Ireland.
More medieval coin hoards have been found in Aberdeen than anywhere else in Britain.
The Kirk of St Nicholas houses the largest carillon in Britain, consisting of 48 bells.
The Aberdeen Journal, one of the Press and Journal’s ancestors, is one of the oldest newspapers in Britain, first printed in 1748.
Rubislaw Quarry is one of the largest man-made holes in Europe.
Robert Davidson of Aberdeen is recognised for his pioneering work in developing electric motors in the early 19th century.
Waterloo Bridge and the Terraces of the Houses of Parliament are built of Aberdeen granite.
640,000 cubic feet of Aberdeen granite went into the construction of the Forth Rail Bridge.
In the late 19th century Aberdeen was the British centre for envelope production.
The self-seal envelope was developed in Aberdeen.
James Gibbs, architect of St Martin-in-the-Fields and St Bartholomew’s Hospital,in London, was born in Footdee (Fittie).
Charles Cameron from Aberdeen designed many buildings in Leningrad during the reign of Catherine the Great.
A pit uncovered in Ship Row, under the modern extension to the Maritime Museum, has been dated to the first century AD.
In 1942 the people of Aberdeen raised over £2m to pay for the building of HMS Scylla as part of the war effort. That’s the equivalent of £57m today.
Torry Point Battery, recently scheduled as an Ancient Monument by the Scottish Ministers, was used as emergency housing for the people of Aberdeen after WWII.
The fastest sailing boat ever, the Thermopylae, was built in Aberdeen in 1868.
The first stern trawler was built in Aberdeen.
Patrick Gordon from Aberdeen was the principal military instructor of Peter the Great of Russia.
Robert Henderson designed the first iron lung, in Aberdeen, in 1933.
In 1858, Aberdeen, as now, had two universities – the same number as all England.
The Rowett Research Institute has produced three Nobel Laureates.
The University of Aberdeen’s Research Institute of Irish and Scottish Studies is the first of its kind in the world for graduate study and research on the history, language, literature and culture of Ireland and Scotland.
Scientists at the University of Aberdeen developed the world’s first underwater holographic camera, which can take three-dimensional pictures.
The Robert Gordon University launched the UK’s first degree course in Artificial Intelligence and Robotics.
Aberdeen is the second most competitive location to do business in, in the UK.
Aberdeen has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the country.
The highest concentration of life scientists in Europe is to be found in the Aberdeen area.
Sir Winston Churchill, recently voted the Greatest Briton of all time, was granted the Freedom of the City of Aberdeen in 1946.
More than half the oil in the North Sea has still to be developed.
The Shearwater Platform for Shell was the heaviest industrial structure to have been lifted in the UK. It is now located 180 miles out in the North Sea.
TotalFinaElf set a number of records with the development of the Elgin field. It is the deepest field at 17,500 feet below seabed and the hottest at 190 degrees C.
Aberdeen has the busiest civilian heliport in the world.
Union Bridge in the centre of Aberdeen is the largest single-span granite arch in the world.
The Brig o’ Balgownie is Scotland’s oldest medieval bridge dating from 1286, although it took over 40 years to complete.
Pittodrie Stadium was the first all seater stadium in Scotland.
Aberdeen Football Club are celebrating 100 years of existence this year.
Denis Law, Scotland’s joint top goal scorer, is an Aberdonian.
The Music Hall can claim to be Aberdeen’s first cinema. Just nine months after the first public demonstration of the kinematograph by the Lumieres brothers in Paris, 18 short films were shown on the 28th, 29th and 30th September 1896, including one that featured hand stencilled colour.
Joseph Rank, the founder of the Rank Milling empire, learnt the milling trade in Aberdeen.
Scotland’s castle and whisky country has over 52 golf clubs, one for every week of the year.
Aberdeen has won the Britain in Bloom contest a record ten times.
Planted in 1935, the maze in Hazlehead Park is Scotland’s oldest.
Over 100,000 roses grow in the rose mound at Duthie Park.
Water polo began around 1863 on the River Dee in Aberdeen, Scotland.
Aberdeen is home to Scotland’s largest permanent funfair.
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