List of public art in Aberdeen facts for kids
Aberdeen is a city in Scotland with lots of cool art pieces displayed outdoors for everyone to see! This list will tell you about some of these amazing public artworks. You can find statues, memorials, and sculptures all around the city, each with its own story. They are not in museums, but right out in the open for you to discover.
Contents
- Art by Aberdeen Harbour
- Art in Balgownie
- Art in the City Centre
- Art in Duthie Park
- Art in Dyce
- Art in Hazlehead Park
- Art in Nigg
- Art in Old Aberdeen
- Art in Peterculter
Art by Aberdeen Harbour
The harbour area has some interesting art that tells stories about the city's past and its connection to the sea.
Footdee War Memorial
This memorial is a tall stone pillar, called an obelisk, on a base. It was put up in 1919 to remember those who served in wars. It was designed by Alexander Watson and James Garden Milne. You can find it at Pocra Quay in Footdee, right by the harbour.
Sea Moon Sculpture
This abstract sculpture is called Sea Moon. It was created in 1986 by artist Janusz Tkaczuk. It's made from metal and stone and sits near the seafront in Aberdeen Bay. It's a modern piece that makes you think about the sea.
Art in Balgownie
Balgownie also has a special memorial.
Balgownie War Memorial
This war memorial is a stone pillar built in 1920. It stands at Oldmacher Church, near the Brig o' Balgownie. William Boddie was the builder of this important monument.
Art in the City Centre
Aberdeen's city centre is full of historic and modern public art.
Aberdeen's Mercat Cross
The Mercat Cross is a very old and important structure in Castlegate. It was built in 1686 by John Montgomery of Old Rayne. It has a statue on top of a shaft and an arched base. It's made of sandstone and is a Category A listed building, meaning it's very special!
The Mannie
The Mannie is a statue and part of a well housing on Castle Street. It was made around 1708 from lead and stone. It's a unique piece of history in the city.
Duke of Gordon Statue
This statue in Golden Square honours George Gordon, 5th Duke of Gordon. It was created in 1842 by Thomas Campbell with Macdonald Field & Co. It's a granite statue on a pedestal and is a Category B listed building.
Gordon of Khartoum Statue
In front of Robert Gordon's College on Schoolhill, you'll find a bronze statue of Charles George Gordon, also known as Gordon of Khartoum. It was made by Thomas Stuart Burnett in 1884 and stands 5 metres tall on a granite pedestal. It's a Category B listed building.
Queen Victoria Statue
A bronze statue of Queen Victoria stands on a granite pedestal at Queen's Cross. It was made by Charles Bell Birch and unveiled in 1893. This statue is also a Category B listed building.
Lord Byron Statue
At Aberdeen Grammar School, there's a bronze statue of the famous poet Lord Byron. It was created around 1913 by Alexander J. Leslie, based on a design by James Pittendrigh Macgillivray. It stands on a granite pedestal and is a Category B listed building.
Aberdeen City War Memorial
This powerful granite sculpture of a lion is part of the war memorial outside Cowdray Hall on Blackfriars Street. It was made by William McMillan in 1925 and is a very important Category A listed building.
Sea Fantasy Sculpture Group
The Sea Fantasy is a bronze statue group located in the grounds of Provost Skene's House. It was created in 1946 by T. B. Huxley-Jones.
Robert The Bruce Statue
At Marischal College on Broad Street, you can see a bronze equestrian statue of Robert The Bruce on a stone pedestal. This impressive artwork was made by Alan Beattie Herriot in 2011.
Poised Leopard Sculpture
In Marischal Square on Broad Street, there's a striking steel statue called Poised. It's a leopard on a pillar, standing 15 metres high! This modern sculpture was created by Andy Scott in 2017.
Union Terrace Artworks
Union Terrace is home to several important statues.
Prince Albert Statue
A bronze statue of Albert, Prince Consort sits on a granite pedestal in Union Terrace. It was created by Carlo Marochetti and unveiled in 1863. The statue itself is 2.1 metres tall and is a Category B listed building.
William Wallace Statue
Also in Union Terrace, you'll find a bronze statue of the Scottish hero William Wallace. It stands on a granite pedestal and was made by William Grant Stevenson in 1888. This is another Category B listed building.
Robert Burns Statue
The famous Scottish poet Robert Burns is honoured with a bronze statue on a granite pedestal in Union Terrace. Henry Bain Smith created this statue in 1892. It's a Category B listed building.
Edward VII Statue
A granite statue of Edward VII stands on a pedestal with other figures in Union Terrace. It was made by Alfred Drury, with the pedestal designed by A.G.R. Mackenzie, and put up in 1914. This is a Category B listed building.
Art in Duthie Park
Duthie Park is a beautiful green space with several monuments.
Monument to Sir James McGrigor
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This granite obelisk, also known as the Obelisk of Light, was built in 1860. It's a monument to Sir James McGrigor. Alexander Ellis was the architect and James Giles was the artist. It's a Category C listed building.
Gordon Highlanders Memorial Cross
A granite Celtic cross stands in Duthie Park as a memorial to the Gordon Highlanders. It's 4.5 metres tall and was put up in 1882. This is a Category C listed building.
Elizabeth Crombie Duthie Monument
This monument in Duthie Park honours Elizabeth Crombie Duthie. It features a statue of Hygeia (the Greek goddess of health) on a pillar, with lion sculptures at its base. It was made of stone by Arthur Taylor and designed by John Cassidy of Manchester in 1883. It's a Category B listed building.
Gordon Highlanders Memorial Obelisk
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Another granite obelisk in Duthie Park serves as a memorial to the Gordon Highlanders. It's 4.5 metres high and was created in 1898. F.W. Pomeroy was the sculptor, Douglas Strachan the designer, and Henderson & Webster were the masons. It's a Category C listed building.
Alexander Taylor Memorial Fountain
This stone fountain in Duthie Park is a memorial to Alexander Taylor. It was made in the late 19th century by Arthur Taylor. It's a Category C listed building.
Art in Dyce
Dyce has its own war memorial.
Dyce War Memorial
This granite cenotaph (a monument to someone buried elsewhere) stands at Gordon Terrace in Dyce. It was designed by Dr. William Kelly and put up in 1921. It's 4.5 metres high and is a Category C listed building.
Art in Hazlehead Park
Hazlehead Park features a fountain and a very important memorial.
Alexander Cooper Fountain
This fountain in Hazlehead Park is a memorial to Alexander Cooper. It was made in 1901 from granite and copper by Arthur Taylor.
Piper Alpha Memorial
The Piper Alpha memorial in Hazlehead Park is a bronze statue group on a granite pedestal. It was created by Sue Jane Taylor and unveiled in 1991. This memorial remembers those who lost their lives in the Piper Alpha oil rig disaster.
Art in Nigg
Nigg also has a war memorial.
Nigg War Memorial
This granite obelisk on a pedestal is the war memorial in the grounds of the Parish Church in Nigg. It's 4.5 metres high and was made by Gibb Bros.
Art in Old Aberdeen
Old Aberdeen, with its historic university, has some unique art.
Old Aberdeen Mercat Cross
This Mercat Cross in High Street, Old Aberdeen, is a very old stone shaft on steps, dating back to the late 15th century. It's a Category B listed building.
Youth with a Split Apple Sculpture
At King's College, Aberdeen, you can see a bronze statue called Youth with a split apple. It sits on a plinth and was created by Kenny Hunter in 2005.
Art in Peterculter
Peterculter has a war memorial and another special monument.
Peterculter War Memorial
This granite tower is the war memorial in Peterculter. It was designed by R.W. Walker and put up in 1920.
Boys Brigade Memorial
A granite monolith in Peterculter serves as a memorial to the Boys Brigade. It was placed there in 2009.
