Tuesday 17 September 2013

Kings College Chapel


Saturday was Door's Open Day for Aberdeen City. I love these weekends each fall. We've been able to see many things over the years. All for free. I love that Scotland makes its history accessible to people. Not every historic site participates in the event each year but there is always something worth seeing.

We started our weekend off with a trip to Aberdeen University's King's College Chapel. It was founded in 1500 and the chapel is the oldest surviving building. It boasts the finest surviving pre-Reformation interior in Scotland. It is in immaculate condition. We got there just in time for the tour and we got to know all the quirky things about the chapel. Such as, most midevil bishops chose to be buried with a lot of pomp and circumstance, but William Elphinstone was simply buried beneath a paving stone at the foot of the chancel step. The stained glass windows were each made by a different artist, one of which declared it the worst window he ever made. Ha! The chapel has been everything from a library to storage. Yet none of the interior was ever changed. It was brought back into use as a church when students from the college were showing up to the local chapel drunk and disorderly and University President wanted to stop annoying the towns people. So, they brought Kings College Chapel back into use as a chapel.

Such fun facts! We had a great time looking and learning. Sebastian was having a blast at all the stuff to look at. I finally had to take him out so we wouldn't bother the other patron's. Sebastian is generally pretty quiet in public but he was jumping around a lot he was so excited. Still not saying a word, but I could tell people were getting distracted by his excitement.

Take a look at this fantastic chapel at Aberdeen University!


 
 
 
 

9 comments:

  1. I can sense your excitement over OLD,STONE buildings.You were bemoaning recently about your ability taking photos.What's wrong with these.there lovely and clear as a bell

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's true James. I love old stone buildings! LD took these photos! Ha!You wouldn't want to see mine. They are really dark.

      Delete
    2. Put them up anyway, remember you have programmes on your computer to touch up pictures

      Delete
  2. I love visitng old buildings and love the fact that the UK has so many to see!

    Your photographs in this post are great!

    Molly xo

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I love the history of this country. It's why I'm still here.

      Delete
  3. You were just around the corner from us!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Thanks for sharing these photos, Mary. I must agree that this chapel shows more of an Anglican history. It also makes me visualize all the churches in Julie Garwood's romance novel! Anyway, I think its quite larger than an ordinary chapel.

    Earnestine @Covenant Furniture

    ReplyDelete
  5. Went to university there, got married in this chapel. Best place in the world!

    ReplyDelete

Note: only a member of this blog may post a comment.