Oban

Oban is a town of about 8140 inhabitants ( 2004 estimate ) in Argyll and Bute on the west coast of Scotland. It lies in a bay of the small island of Kerrera is upstream so that Oban is characterized by a very sheltered position.

The place today almost urban character was to the 19th century, a small fishing village. With the steamboat era and the railway connection via the West Highland Line in 1880 Oban grew to the center of the west coast and the main ferry terminal for the Inner and Outer Hebrides. There are connections among other things, to the islands of Mull, Colonsay, Coll, Tiree, Barra and South Uist. The granite cliffs, bays and islands around Oban attract many tourists and deep sea fishing. 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 built 1932-1959 in neo-gothic style.

The 3600 km long Trans-Atlantic telephone cable TAT -1 was put into operation on September 25, 1956 between Oban and Clarenville ( Newfoundland).

Attractions

The McCaig's Tower above the town is the unfinished copy of the Colosseum in Rome. The local banker John Stuart McCaig had built the monument in 1897, to employ local workers during the working poor winter months and to put his family monument. Neither the planned tower in the interior of the building nor the statues of the McCaig family were ever completed, as all members of the family died or impoverished to 1904. For several years, the interior of this Folly is converted into a park and the viewing platform can be climbed.

The Oban Distillery produces whiskey since 1794.

View of the city with the Catholic Cathedral

Overlooking the North Pier Ferry Terminal at Night

Oban Distillery

Climate chart of Oban

Twinning

Oban is connected by twinning with Laurinburg (North Carolina) in the U.S. and Gorey in Ireland.

Personalities

Post town Argyll and Bute (Scottish Parliament constituency) Inner Hebrides TAT-1
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