Union Street

The beating heart of the city of Aberdeen, Union Street – known locally as Granite Mile – is a major shopping hub. The street is named after the Acts of Union 1800, which saw the Kingdom of Great Britain and the Kingdom of Ireland come together to form the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. Not only is Union Street notable for its name, but also the engineering skill required in its construction, which involved the partial levelling of St Catherine’s Hill and the construction of arches which carry the street over Putachieside. It boasts the world’s largest single-span granite bridge – Union Bridge – measuring 130 feet across. The design of street, created by Charles Abercrombie, nearly bankrupt the city in the early 19th century.