Description of the attraction
St. Nicholas Church is an old church located in the center of Aberdeen, Scotland. We find the first mentions of it in documents dated 1157. Saint Nicholas is considered the patron saint of the city, since Aberdeen is a port city, and among the miracles performed by Saint Nicholas, there is also the salvation of sailors drowning in a storm.
The church was significantly rebuilt and enlarged in the 15th century. This church and the Church of the Virgin Mary in Dundee were arguably the largest parish churches in medieval Scotland. Znerkovi consists of the Drum side-chapel (the old tomb of the Irvine family from the Drum castle) and the Collison side-chapel, which were transepts in the 12th century church. Many architectural details have survived from that time.
The church now consists of two parts. The western church was built in 1751-1755. in the Italian style on the site of the medieval nave. The eastern neo-Gothic church was built on the site of the former choir in 1834. In 1874, a fire destroyed the Eastern Church and the old central tower, where nine bells hung. The tower was rebuilt in granite, and a belfry with 36 bells was built on it. In 1950 they were replaced by a carillon of 48 bells.
It is unusual that in this two altars are under the same roof, but now only one is used for services - in the Western Church. It is also surprising that many architectural details and decorations from the Middle Ages have been preserved here, despite the fact that the church was rebuilt. Archaeologists and historians find here more and more medieval burial places and do not stop research work in the church.
