Aberdeen Town House

Today's impressive Neo-Gothic Town House dates from the 1870s and incorporates elements of the previous Town House and Tolbooth. A proposal that sandstone be used was abandoned when John Fyfe offered to supply the Council with his Kemnay stone at a preferential rate. The result is a building, by architects Peddie and Kinnear, that expresses the confidence of a mature granite industry. The tall, dominating tower is a major landmark in the city and the arcading is a particularly impressive streetscape feature. The building is situated in the main city centre and provides a connection between the old burgh of Aberdeen, in the form of the Tolbooth, and the new-found confidence and wealth of the 19th century merchant city. The splendid internal decoration, especially in the official municipal rooms, demonstrate the wealth of 19th century Aberdeen.