St Machar's Cathedral
St Machar's Cathedral
This handsome fortress church of the Bishops of Aberdeen was mostly built in the 15th century. Now only half its original length, the cathedral has a magnificent heraldic timber ceiling, completed in 1591.
The Cathedral is a fine example of a fortified kirk and the best view is obtained from inside the West gate. Instead of one large window, the mason has filled the space between the towers with seven "lights" or narrow windows. The twin towers are built in the fashion of 14th century tower houses with walls thick enough to contain spiral staircases to the upper floors and with battlements at the towerheads. The "St Machar" window by Douglas Strachan, an Aberdeen artist, tells the traditional story of the founding of the first church in the 6th century.Cathedral shop.