Oban (Argyll and Bute)
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Oban Scottish Gaelic An t-Òban |
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| Coordinates | 56 ° 25 ′ N , 5 ° 28 ′ W | ||
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| Residents | 8574 2011 census | ||
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| Post town | OBAN | ||
| ZIP code section | PA34 | ||
| prefix | 01631 | ||
| Part of the country | Scotland | ||
| Council area | Argyll and Bute | ||
| British Parliament | Argyll and Bute | ||
| Scottish Parliament | Argyll and Bute | ||
Oban ( Gaelic : An t-Òban for "little bay") is a town with 8574 inhabitants (as of 2011) in Argyll and Bute on the west coast of Scotland . It is located in a bay with the small island of Kerrera in front of it, so Oban is characterized by a very protected location.
The place, which today has an almost urban character, was a small fishing village until the 19th century. With the steamship era and the railway connection via the West Highland Line in 1880, Oban grew to be the center of the west coast and the main ferry port for the Inner and Outer Hebrides . There are connections to the islands of Mull , Colonsay , Coll , Tiree , Barra and South Uist, among others . During the Second World War, Oban was the port of destination for the EN convoys .
The granite rocks, sea bays and islands around Oban attract many tourists and deep-sea anglers. Queen Victoria called Oban "one of the finest spots we have seen".
Oban is the seat of the Roman Catholic diocese of Argyll and the Isles . The St Columba's Cathedral , the main church of the diocese, was from 1932 to 1959 in the neo-gothic built style.
The 3,600-kilometer-long TAT-1 transatlantic telephone cable was put into service on September 25, 1956 between Oban and Clarenville (Newfoundland).
Attractions
The McCaig's Tower above the city is the unfinished replica of the Colosseum in Rome. Local banker John Stuart McCaig had the monument built in 1897 to keep local workers busy during the poor winter months and to commemorate his family. Neither the planned tower inside the structure nor the statues of the McCaig family were ever completed, as all members of the family died or became impoverished by 1904. For some years now, the interior of this folly has been prepared as a park and the viewing platform can be climbed.
A little north of the city on a hill above the road are the ruins of Dunollie Castle . The keep, which is still in its shape, can be entered and the elevated position allows a good view of the sea.
The Oban Distillery has been making whiskey since 1794 .
City view with McCaig's Tower
City view with the catholic cathedral
View of the North Pier Ferry Terminal at night
Oban distillery
Climate diagram of Oban
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Town twinning
Oban is by twinning connected to Laurinburg (North Carolina) in the USA and Gorey in Ireland.
Personalities
- William Morrison, 1st Viscount Dunrossil (1893–1961), British politician ( Conservative Party ), Speaker of the House of Commons and Governor General of Australia
- Susie Wolff (* 1982), British racing driver
- John McPhee (* 1994), British motorcycle racer
