Perth

Perth lies beside the River Tay in the Tayside region, it is the smallest of Scotland's cities. The Scottish Parliament met there on occasions and it was the home of many Scottish kings. Perth is an historical city that was once the capital of medieval Scotland. The city had religious importance because it was the home to the large monasteries of the Black Friars, the Grey Friars, the White Friars and the Carthusian's.These monasteries were destroyed after the sermons of John Knox in 1559 when he launched the Scottish reformation from the pulpit of St John's Kirk. 
 

The central part of the town is located between two large parks known as the North Inch and the South Inch. A plaque can be found just to the south of the North Inch reminding all of the violence that occurred at this site. It was there that the Black Friars Monastery was destroyed. James I was assassinated there by Sir Robert Graham in 1437. In 1396, the area was the location of violent judicial fighting between Clans.  The Fair Maid's House is said to be the oldest house in Perth. Sir Walter Scott chose this as the fictional home of Catherine Glover, the heroine of The Fair Maid of Perth. The house now serves as a craft shop.  Scone Palace can be found a few miles north of Perth. Between the 9th and 13th centuries the sacred Stone of Destiny was guarded here. It was seized by Edward I in the 13th century and kept in Westminster Abbey until recently when it was returned to Scotland.

As with the rest of the British Isles and Scotland, Perth experiences a maritime climate with cool summers and mild winters. Daytime temperatures are slightly milder than most of Scotland. Perth Museum and Art Gallery is the main museum and exhibition space in the city of Perth, Scotland. It is one of the oldest museums in the UK and has a collection of nearly 500,000 objects. It is housed in an imposing building near the north east corner of the central area of Perth, and admission is free. A visit should be viewed as an essential part of getting to grips with the story of Perth and its people. Perth Museum and Art Gallery holds one of the oldest public collections, which includes a small group of Old Masters reflecting the taste of the local Perthshire aristocracy and an impressive body of Scottish art from the 19th century to the present day by well-known Scottish masters such as Henry Raeburn, Robert Scott Lauder, William McTaggart and Sir DY Cameron. Perth Bridge also known as Smeaton's Bridge and locally as the Old Bridge over the River Tay was built in 1771 and widened in 1869.

Scotland’s newest city, Perth grew as a result of its strategic location between the urban lowlands and rural highlands and the development of trade thanks to its position on the Tay. The city and area continues to benefit from the use and management of historic and natural assets with a focus on sustainable economic growth focused on tourism, services, cultural investment, food and drink, and renewable and clean technology sectors. The Perth and Kinross area is one of the fastest growing areas in Scotland as a result of its high quality of urban and rural life attracting in migration and its location making it desirable and accessible as a place to live and work. The new city is keen to capitalise on opportunities to encourage growth through investment in its business and transport infrastructure, urban environment, supporting business growth in its key sectors and increasing employment prospects through training and education initiatives.