St. Andrew’s Cathedral

St. Andrew’s Cathedral on King Street has a remarkable history that illustrates the sometimes difficult religious, social, and political development of both Scotland and the US.

Designed by Aberdeen’s most prominent architect, Archibald Simpson, the building was completed in 1817, close to the site of the ordination of the first Episcopal bishop of a newly Independent USA, indirectly connecting St. Andrew’s with not only the history of the Jacobites, but also that of African slavery and the American Civil Rights movement.

In more recent times, US Bishop Michael Curry visited the cathedral at the invitation of Rev. Isaac Poobalan, the incumbent Rector and Provost tasked with bringing the contemporary and diverse communities of St. Andrew’s Cathedral together. As an Episcopal bishop, Curry remarked to the congregation that it was ‘good to come home.’

You can learn more about St. Andrew’s and its history in greater detail within the Close Encounters interactive map.