Rubislaw Granite and an Iconic Nickname

Written by Frankie Butler, PhD Student at the Department of Earth Sciences, University of Cambridge

This sample originates from Rubislaw Quarry in Aberdeen, which by the mid-1900s had become the largest open-pit quarry in Europe. Aberdeen gained its name the ‘Granite City’ from the extensive use of Rubislaw granite in the city and its monuments during the 18th and 19th centuries, such as in the construction of the Music Hall, Marischal College, and Woolmanhill Hospital.

Close-up of a coarse-grained white and dark grey granite specimen with a museum label reading "34, SCOTCH GRANITE, MUSCOVITE-BIOTITE-GRANITE, RUBISLAW QUARRIES, ABERDEEN, ABERDEENSHIRE." — Building Stone 34, Rubislaw Granite

Aberdeen was also marketed as the ‘Silver City’ by early Victorian rail advertisements encouraging tourists to explore the beaches on the Aberdeenshire coast. The name ‘Silver City’ is derived from the micas in the granite reflecting sunlight, causing the buildings to display a silver sparkle.

Rubislaw granite was not only used in Aberdeen; Waterloo Bridge in London was built partly with the same stone in 1817. It was also used in the construction of the Tower of London, the Houses of Parliament, and the Brisbane Council Chamber in Australia.

In 1971 the quarry shut down after a gradual decrease in demand for granite as a building material. It was the last of Aberdeen’s quarries to close. As of today, Rubislaw Quarry exists as a man-made lake.