What Is The Oldest City In Scotland?

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What is the oldest city in Scotland?

The oldest city in Scotland is Dundee with a city charter signed by Queen Victoria in January 1889. This date makes it more than 139 years old.

Officially becoming a city in Scotland is different from the process in  England and Wales Anywhere with a cathedral is classed as one south of the border, but the same criteria did not apply in Scotland.

There were many royal burghs that were created in the 12th century by King David, with Berwick and Roxburgh thought to be the earliest examples.

This was then followed by Dunfermline, Edinburgh, Perth, Stirling and Aberdeen. Dundee’s accession to burgh-hood is but is thought to be between 1181 and 1195.

The Queen Victoria charter was formally accepted by Dundee town council on February 4 1889 which is the day that Dundee then became a city.

Dundee grew quickly with a population of 60,553 in 1841 to 158,066 in 1891 — leapfrogging Aberdeen as the third largest burgh in Scotland. After the charter was signed for Dundee, Aberdeen the Granite City quickly followed suit, and was confirmed as a city in 1891.

In 1929 when Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow were all made City Counties as part of a local government reorganization. Dundee however was the first place to have been granted city status through a charter.”

Today, Dundee is a  major industrial city, royal burgh, and seaport of eastern Scotland situated on the northern bank of the North Sea inlet known as the Firth of Tay.  The council area of Dundee City is in the historic county of Angus and is about 40 miles ( 64 km ) north of Edinburgh.

It is good news for visitors that Dundee is Scotland’s sunniest city. The Dundee city Waterfront  connects Dundee city centre to the River Tay and opened to the public in 2018  Dundee is known as a design and cultural centre and with the V&A Museum of Design,  Dundee culture powerhouse. The vision is that the city will use culture as a catalyst for social and economic growth, with V&A Dundee  as the centrepiece.

Not only has Dundee a lot to offer as a city but it is also the Scottish city closest to the countryside.

Ready to start planning that trip to Scotland? Start here!

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