About+Dundee



=Dundee - The City of Discovery=

The city of Dundee has long been renouned as the [|City of Discovery] because of the variety of visitors attractions, landmarks and history of scientific activity, linking the past, present and the future. Lying on the north bank of the River Tay, Dundee is the fourth largest city in Scotland. Linked to neighbouring Fife via the Tay road and rail bridges, Dundee has good transport links to the other major cities, airports and industries of Scotland. The road bridge which is one of the longest non-suspension bridges in the world spanning nearly one and a half miles over the cold River Tay's waters and was finally opened in 1966.

Well known in the 19th and 20th centuries for it's three J's: Jute, Jam and Journalism, Dundee has had to adapt to many changes in idustry over the last century. The rise of these three industries in the 1800's resulted in a population boom the likes of which Dundee had never seen before. However as times progressed and technology developed, Dundee's old jute and jam factories became somewhat obsolete and as a result have all since closed, the last jute mill closing in the early 1970's. The success and popularity of the third J is arguabley as popular as it ever has been, if not more so. [|D.C Thomson] has seen it's popularity soar over the last century and now is the nerve centre, not just for newspapers and magazines, but more recently hit TV shows, including Dennis the Menace. The company is well respected by most in the surrounding areas and is the cities largest employer behind sports and leisure industries.

The city gained it's title "The City of Discovery" for one other mian reason, the [|RRS Discovery]. The ship was the last of it's kind to be constructed in the United Kingdom and was launched in 1901. Built for Antarctic exploration and research and was captained by Robert Scott. However on her maiden voyage to the Antarctic the ship became stuck in the frozen seas and spent two years in the same stretch of water. After this the vessel had many uses over it's years in service, being sold due to frinancial problems, being used to carry munition in WWI before more up to date, modern ships replaced the vessel and it spent the next few years moored up. In 1986 the ship made her final voyage back to the city where she was built, Dundee. In 1992 the ship was moved to her finbal resting place in the specially built dock where she now rests and is home to a great, interactive visitors cetnre which welcomes tourists from all over the world.

The [|Dundee Botanic gardens], created in the mid-late 1900's, are entirely managed and funded by the University of Dundee. The gardens are situated near Dundee airpost, just off the banks of the River Tay. The land in which they are built upon was chosen for it's rich, fertile environment and good natural drainage. The site ws also the last available within easy access of the University. The site was enitially almost bare, with a single Sycamore tree standing on the site. Now the plants and trees are well established and the barron landscape has disappeared and been replaced by a lush and welcoming one full of different species and varieties of plants. The glasshouse is situated near the main entrance and is built on a the site of an old hockey ptich. It houses a number of pant species that, without the building the gardens would be unable to grow and present to the public.

[|Sensation] is a science centre funded by public and local corporate donations. The centre opened in July 2000 at the cost of about £5 million and is a state of the art centre. It provides visitors with a very interactive experience aimed at stimulating the senses and developing peoples knowledge of science and robotics. The centre regularly hosts corporate events and school parties which helps to build upon it's strong links with the local education and business community.

(JM)
 * *​Photographs from on Location* **

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