List of cities in Scotland

Edinburgh

Glasgow

Dundee

Aberdeen

Inverness

Perth

Stirling

Dunfermline

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A map of the eight cities of Scotland.

Scotland has eight cities. Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland and Glasgow is the most populous. Scottish towns were granted burghs or royal burgh status by Scottish kings, including by David I of Scotland and William the Lion.

City status has later been granted by royal charter and letters patent. Scotland has gained new cities since the year 2000 via submitted bids to be awarded city status as part of jubilees of the reigning British monarch or for other events, such as the millennium celebrations. Dunfermline is the latest to be awarded city status.

## List of Scottish cities[edit]

Name in English[1] | Name in Scottish Gaelic  | Nickname[1] | Council area  | Year granted or confirmed  | Cathedral  | Population[1]

|
|
|
|
|
|

Edinburgh | Dùn Èideann  | Auld Reekie  | City of Edinburgh |

* ~1124 as a royal burgh[2]
* 1633 as a city[3]

St Giles' Cathedral

495,360
Perth | Peairt  | The Fair City  | Perth and Kinross |

* 1124 as a royal burgh[4]
* 1210 as a royal burgh[5][6]
* 1600 as a city[6]
* (Ended city status in 1975)[7]
* 2012 as a city[7]

St Ninian's Cathedral

| 50,000
Aberdeen | Obar Dheathain  | The Granite City  | Aberdeen City |

* As a royal burgh in ~1124[8]
* As a royal burgh in 1179[9]
* 1891 as a city[10][11]

St Machar's Cathedral

| 197,000
Inverness | Inbhir Nis  | The Capital of the Highlands  | Highland |

* As a royal burgh 1124-53[12][13]
* 2000 as a city[14]

Inverness Cathedral

| 47,000
Stirling | Sruighlea  | Gateway to the Highlands  | Stirling |

* 1124 as a royal burgh[4]

* 2002 as a city[15]

| Dunblane Cathedral | 37,000
Dunfermline | Dùn Phàrlain  | The Ancient Capital  | Fife |

* ~1124 as a royal burgh[4]
* 2022 as a city[16]

Dunfermline Abbey

| 54,990
Glasgow | Glaschu  | Dear Green Place  | Glasgow City |

* 1172[17] or 1175 as a burgh[18][19]
* 1476 as a city[20]

Glasgow Cathedral

| 598,830
Dundee | Dùn Dè  | City of Discovery  | Dundee City |

* ~1191 as a royal burgh[21]
* 1889 as a city[11][22]

| St Andrew's Cathedral, Dundee | 150,000

## City status[edit]

Perth was the capital of Scotland from the 9th Century until 1437.[23] It was made a royal burgh by David I of Scotland in ~1124.[4] James VI's Golden Charter to Perth in 1600 referred to it as a "free city and regal and royal burgh".[24] It was officially the second city of Scotland until 1975 when city status was removed when local government was reorganised. It regained the status in 2012.[23]

Edinburgh was recognised as a royal burgh from ~1124, introduced by David I of Scotland as part of his feudalisation after ascending to the throne in 1124.[25] It was made a city in 1633 by Charles I of England.[3]

Glasgow was recognised in 1175 via the granting of a burgh in a charter by William the Lion.[18][19] In 1476, Charter of James III of Scotland confirmed "the City and Barony in free regality".[20]

Aberdeen was granted royal burgh status by King David of Scotland (1124 - 1153).[8] It was also most likely granted royal burgh status by King William the Lion in 1179.[9] In 1891 Dundee was given city status by letters patent.[11][10]

Dundee was created a royal burgh in ~1191 by William the Lion.[21] Dundee was then granted city status via letters patent by Queen Victoria in 1889. The Charter recited previous charters granted to Dundee including the Confirmation by Robert the Bruce in 1327, which recited those of William the Lion circa 1191.[22][26]

Inverness was made a royal burgh by King David I.[12][13] In 2000, Inverness was awarded city status.[14]

Stirling became a royal burgh in ~1124.[4] In 2002 it became a city.[15]

Dunfermline was also made a royal burgh in ~1124 by David I of Scotland.[4] In 2022 it became the newest Scottish city.[16]

### Recent bids[edit]

In 1999, Ayr, Inverness, Paisley and Stirling applied for city status and Inverness was successful in 2000.[27]

In 2001, Ayr, Dumfries, Paisley and Stirling applied for city status.[28] Stirling was successful in 2002.[15]

In 2012, Perth was the only Scottish bid for city status and was successful.[29]

Dumfries, Dunfermline, Elgin, Greenock, Livingston, Oban, St Andrews and South Ayrshire submitted bids for city status in 2021.[30] Dunfermline was successful in its city bid for 2022.[16]

## See also[edit]

* List of built-up areas in Scotland by population
* List of towns in Scotland
* List of cathedrals in Scotland

## References[edit]

1. ^ a b c "Scottish Cities | Scotland.org". Scotland. Retrieved 2023-10-29.
2. ^ "Royal Burgh - 900th Anniversary Working Group - Proposal".
3. ^ a b "The entertainment of the high and mighty monarch Charles King of Great Britaine, France, and Ireland, into his auncient and royall city of Edinburgh, the fifteenth of Iune, 1633". quod.lib.umich.edu. Retrieved 2023-10-29.
4. ^ a b c d e f Marshall, Jennifer (2015-06-10). "First Burgh Charter". Retrieved 2023-10-30.
5. ^ Marshall, Thomas Hay; Adamson, Henry (1849). The History of Perth: From the Earliest Period to the Present Time. J. Fisher. p. 435.
6. ^ a b "CITY OF PERTH".
7. ^ a b "Perth wins Diamond Jubilee contest to be named seventh Scottish city". BBC News. 2012-03-14. Retrieved 2023-10-29.
8. ^ a b "Search Results". archives.aberdeencity.gov.uk. Retrieved 2023-10-30.
9. ^ a b Kennedy, William (1818). Annals of Aberdeen, from the reign of king William the lion. p. 8.
10. ^ a b "Search Results". archives.aberdeencity.gov.uk. Retrieved 2023-10-29.
11. ^ a b c Beckett, John (2017-07-05). City Status in the British Isles, 1830–2002. Taylor & Francis. p. 17\. ISBN 978-1-351-95126-5.
12. ^ a b The County Histories of Scotland. W. Blackwood and Sons. 1897. p. 18.
13. ^ a b Murphy, Alan (2014-04-10). Scotland Highlands & Islands Footprint Handbook. Footprint Travel Guides. p. 167\. ISBN 978-1-909268-62-3.
14. ^ a b "Inverness awarded city status". 2000-12-18. Retrieved 2023-10-29.
15. ^ a b c "Stirling elevated to city status". 2002-03-14. Retrieved 2023-10-29.
16. ^ a b c Council, Fife (2022-05-20). "Dunfermline granted City status by Queen". www.fife.gov.uk. Retrieved 2023-10-29.
17. ^ The Edinburgh Gazetteer, Or Compendious Geographical Dictionary ... Abridged from the Larger Work in Six Volumes, Etc. Archibald Constable&Company. 1824. p. 270.
18. ^ a b "Charters and Documents relating to the City of Glasgow 1175-1649 | British History Online". www.british-history.ac.uk. Retrieved 2023-10-29.
19. ^ a b "Council leader says Glasgow's 850th anniversary is opportunity to bring city together". Yahoo News. 2023-10-28. Retrieved 2023-10-29.
20. ^ a b "XXXII: Charter of James III confirming the City and Barony in free regality (1476) | British History Online". www.british-history.ac.uk. Retrieved 2023-10-30.
21. ^ a b Urquhart, Robert Mackenzie (1973). Scottish Burgh and County Heraldry. Gale Research Company. p. 46\. ISBN 978-0-8103-2005-5.
22. ^ a b Beckett, John (2017-07-05). City Status in the British Isles, 1830–2002. Taylor & Francis. p. 17\. ISBN 978-1-351-95126-5.
23. ^ a b "Perth wins Diamond Jubilee contest to be named seventh Scottish city". BBC News. 2012-03-14. Retrieved 2023-10-29.
24. ^ Charter by King James VI. in Favour of the Town of Perth. Dated 15th November 1600. And a Translation.
25. ^ "Royal Burgh - 900th Anniversary Working Group - Proposal".
26. ^ "CITY of DUNDEE" (PDF).
27. ^ "MILLENNIUM CITY STATUS COMPETITION - WINNING CITIES ANNOUNCED". www.wired-gov.net. Retrieved 2023-10-29.
28. ^ "Four bids for city status". 2001-10-13. Retrieved 2023-10-29.
29. ^ "Results of Diamond Jubilee Civic Honours Competition announced". GOV.UK. Retrieved 2023-10-29.
30. ^ "Queen's Platinum Jubilee: Eight parts of Scotland seek city status". BBC News. 2021-12-23. Retrieved 2023-10-29.

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