The most random facts you didn’t know about Aberdeen
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From photos of the moon, to self-sealing envelopes, there is a lot you might not know about Aberdeen
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Aberdeen Live
Every city comes with a number of bizarre facts that can surprise even those who have spent decades in their hometown.

And Aberdeen is no different, with the silver city host to several facts you may not have known about.

The city has become well known for its offshore energy supply, but there are a lot more facts about Aberdeen and those from the city.

Some of which might surprise you, and might even have you wondering how you didn’t spot that.

From the National Lottery, to medieval coins, these are some of the most random facts you may not have known about Aberdeen.

Whisky distilleries

Scotland has become well-known for its whisky production, but were you aware of where the majority of it comes from?

Aberdeenshire currently plays host to the most distilleries in Scotland, with 10 of them around the shire.

And you can even tour the lot, including Glen Garioch, The Balvenie, and Knockdhu distilleries.

The photograph of the moon

The first Scottish astronomer to take a picture of the moon was born in Aberdeen.

Sir David Gill, born in 1843, built a small observatory with a 12-inch telescope that he also made himself in 1866.

Then, in 1869, Gill managed to take one of the few pictures of the moon first uncovered in the 19th century.

His highly notable achievement brought him fame as a result, and he even has craters on the moon and mars named after him; not bad for an amateur astronomer.

Hazlehead Park maze

Nestled away in Hazlehead Park, the popular attraction is home to Scotland’s oldest maze.

Planted in 1935, the maze has been around since before the second World War, and sits amongst a number of sculptures and walking tracks.

The park forms part of the Freedom Lands which were granted to the city by Robert the Bruce, before being opened to the public in 1920.

Self-seal envelope

The first self-seal envelopes were developed in Aberdeen in the 1890’s.

Along the River Don in the 1800’s, there were 17 operational paper mills that were feeding off the water supply for power and to treat fibres used in the mills.

Then, late on in the century, the mills started producing the first self-seal envelopes, which are being used worldwide to this day.

Largest permanent funfair

Codona’s has become one of Aberdeen’s most popular attractions, with the seaside funfair attracting thousands every year.

Having stood by the water for over 50 years, Codona’s holds the title of being the largest permanent funfair in the UK.

With a Ferris wheel, adventure golf, and an indoor play area for the little ones, the family-owned funfair has cemented itself as one of Aberdeen’s top attractions.

National Lottery winners

You might want to go out and buy a lottery ticket after reading this.

Aberdeen has proven to be one of the luckiest postcodes in the UK, with over 47 millionaires all living within an AB postcode.

276 residents have also scooped over £50,000 in prizes, so maybe it’s worth having a go on the Lotto.

Pittodrie seating

Seven years after a blaze left part of Aberdeen’s home ground damaged, the club needed to take action to repair the stricken stand.

Despite the setback, the club was able to rebuild the damaged stand, and in the process turned Pittodrie into an all-seater stadium, which would become Scotland’s first to do so in 1981.

It also ended up being the first in the UK to adapt the measure before the Hillsborough disaster prompted a change in law in the 1990s that forced all stadia to have seating only.

Golf clubs for every week

It is no secret that Aberdeen city and Aberdeenshire has a wealth of golf courses.

But it turns out, there are actually more than 52 clubs around the area, with enough for each week of the year.

Why not check some of them out yourself and see how many you can play in a year?

Medieval coins

For the fans who enjoy digging for treasure, you might want to bring a metal detector out with you in the shire.

Over the years, more medieval coins have been discovered in Aberdeen than anywhere else in Britain.

Stretching as far back as the Roman times, some coins found include a collection of 12,000 silver coins from the reigns of Alexander III and Edward III.

Union Street’s name

The Granite Mile has become a major shopping hub in the city, and an amazing night out with its plethora of pubs, bars, and restaurants along the road.

But did you know the road was called Union Street to celebrate the act of union between Great Britain and Ireland in 1800?

Despite the two splitting decades later, the name of the street remains to this day, and is now the most popular road in the city.