Rubislaw Quarry

Rubislaw Quarry is a quarry situated at the Hill of Rubislaw in the west end of the Scottish city of Aberdeen. At 142m deep with a diameter of 120m, Rubislaw Quarry is one of the biggest man-made holes in Europe. Since its closure in 1971, it has filled with water. It has never been marketed as a tourist attraction and is currently inaccessible, hidden by trees and surrounded by flats and office buildings.

John Smith and Archibald Simpson were architects who constructed some of Aberdeen's best known buildings from granite in the early 19th century. Waterloo Bridge in London, the terrace of the Palace of Westminster and the Forth Bridge were also constructed with granite from Aberdeen. Matthew Forster Heddle found the quarry a good source for the minerals tourmaline and beryl. The fine grey granite from the quarry is visible in the majority of Aberdeen's buildings.