Thomas M.
Yelp
A visit to St. Machar's Cathedral, located in the "old" town of Aberdeen north to the city centre (a 2 mile walk from the central station!), will be very much worth the while for visitors to Scotland's northernmost larger city. The "old" part of town is a surprise in that it does not consist of narrow alleys, burgher houses or pubs. Instead, it is very much dominated by the King's College, another major Aberdeen attraction, and the roads are mostly wide, bright and lacking in atmosphere.
A lack of atmosphere cannot be claimed for St. Machar's itself, which is not only full of interesting architectural details (like e.g. the amount of wood used), but it sits among impressive church/cemetery grounds and is also graced with the neighborhood of the wonderful Seaton Park, where you may relax after your visit to St. Machar's.
It became a Cathedral in the 1130s when the seat of the Bishop was transferred from Mortlach, near Dufftown to Old Aberdeen under David I. By 1165 a Norman style cathedral stood on the site. In the 13th century the Cathedral had to undergo extensive restoration. This was started under the instruction of Bishop Cheyne (1282 to 1328). We have to thank him that the building turned out to be a fine example of a fortified Kirk.
The building was finished only in 1530, but parts of it were dismantled/destroyed by Cromwell's troops when they moved into Aberdeen in 1654. Not until 1953(!) was the cathedral completely restored to its former glory.
Entry to St. Machar's is free, and you can take as many photos as you like. See mine for reference.