Marischal College is the second largest granite building in the world, surpassed only by the Royal Monastery of San Lorenzo de El Escorial in Spain. It represents one of the major historical and cultural attractions of Aberdeen. It is located next to Union Street, in the city center.
It was originally called Marischal College and University of Aberdeen. It was the second post-medieval civic university in Scotland, after the University of Edinburgh.
Its initial mission was to train clergy for the church. Later, it opened up to teaching all sciences and medicine. From 1960, it housed the Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, as well as the Faculty of Medicine.
Among the notable professors at Marischal College was the mathematician and scientist James Clerk Maxwell, who was appointed professor of natural philosophy in 1856. One of its most remembered students was Dr. Charles Mitchell, a shipbuilder from Tyneside.
University City of Aberdeen
The college was known as the university city of Aberdeen until the late 20th century, when administrative and academic activities moved to King’s College and Foresterhill. This was part of the agreements established between the colleges and the creation of the unified University of Aberdeen in the mid-century.
Part of the iconic building was leased in 2006 to the Aberdeen City Council. This began a series of restorations and the restructuring of spaces, now transformed into corporate offices, which provide public access to municipal services. Marischal College is the site of the city council.
The University reserved for its use some spaces, including the Mitchell Hall, used for graduations, concerts, and other events. Other sections of the building today house the shops and collections of the Marischal Museum.
A True Architectural Gem
Marischal College was built between 1835 and 1906, a long period that marked its architecture with various materials and styles. It features the use of Rubislaw stone and Kemnay granite, the austere architecture of Archibald Simpson, and the perpendicular Gothic style of Alexander Marshall Mackenzie.
The college founded by the fifth Earl Marischal of Scotland, George Keith, dates from 1593. It was erected on the site of a Franciscan convent and replaced by a building designed by William Adam in the 18th century. The convent and Adam’s building were demolished to construct the Marischal College known today.
In 2012, the city installed a statue of King Robert the Bruce on horseback, holding a letter, in front of Marischal College. Also, outside the building, the modern “dancing fountain” can be seen, known for its alternating patterns.
