St Mark's

For about 6 years I worked in the City of London, nor far from St. Paul's Cathedral, and it was St Paul's station I used most days on the way to the office. When I look at St. Mark's church in Aberdeen I am reminded of the appearance of St. Paul's in London.

I thought the similarity was only in my own mind, but on looking at the history of the building I find the similarity was also in the mind of the architect of St. Mark's. The building was completed in 1892 having been designed by Alexander Mackenzie who also designed Marischal College, now the City Hall. The portico and dome were modelled on St. Paul's.

To the left of the church is the Central Library (of which I am a member, but use fairly infrequently). This was completed in the same year, and was funded and opened by Andrew Carnegie. To the right of the church, but not shown in this picture is His Majesty's Theatre. This group of three substantial granite buildings make an impressive group at the end of Union Terrace Gardens.

As can be seen the weather was fine for much of the day, and reached 10 degrees at one point. I was actually too warm in the sunshine as I walked into the city. By late afternoon it was clouding over and the forecast assures us the next few days will be very cold.