Overview of Dundee

A university city in the Midland Valley of Scotland, situated 22 miles (35 km) east of Perth between the Firth of Tay and the Sidlaw Hills and connected to Fife by rail and road bridges. A royal burgh since the 12th Century, it was constituted a city in 1889 at the height of its industrial development as a textile and jute milling centre. In 1996 it became the administrative centre of the City of Dundee local government area.

The city has several fine parks and golf courses as well as buildings of historic and architectural interest that include the Verdant Works Jute Mill, Baxter's Mills, St Mary's Tower, St Paul's Episcopal Church, St Andrews Parish Church (1772), the Albert Institute (1867), Caird Hall, McManus Galleries, Dundee Contemporary Arts Centre, Dudhope Castle, Mills Observatory, Camperdown House, the Mains of Fintry Castle, Claypotts Castle, Broughty Castle and the Wishart Arch, the last surviving gateway into the old town.

Other places of interest include The Howff, formerly the garden of the Greyfriars Monastery, Olympia Leisure Centre, Victoria Dock, in which is anchored HMS Frigate Unicorn, the oldest British warship still afloat and Discovery point, home of Captain Scott's RRS Discovery.

Once noted for its three "J's" - jute, jam and journalism - Dundee is now promoted as the 'City of Discovery', a title that reflects not only its links with exploration and Captain Scott's research ship Discovery, but the city's post-industrial role as a centre of scientific research, education and tourism. Chief amongst the city's teaching and research establishments are the University of Dundee, which was founded as University College in 1881 and incorporated with St Andrews until 1967, the University of Abertay, Dundee College, and Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art. Information technology and biomedical research are chief amongst the areas of research expertise.

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