One coastal town in Scotland boasts the distinctive McCaig's Tower, which bears a striking resemblance to Rome's Colosseum. Oban, situated in Argyll and Bute, lies in the western part of Scotland. It's often dubbed the 'Gateway to the Hebrides' due to its strategic location, offering easy ferry access to the Outer and Inner Hebrides islands.
However, it's not just its seaside charm and ferry services that set Oban apart from other UK towns and villages; it's the Colosseum-like edifice that towers over it. McCaig's Tower perches atop Battery Hill, where it has stood since 1897 when it was designed and commissioned by affluent banker John Stuart McCaig.
McCaig had grand visions for the structure, intending to house a museum and art gallery within the proposed building, with a central tower displaying statues of himself and his family members. A fervent admirer of Roman and Greek architecture, McCaig's choice to model the building after the Colosseum was no accident. Although if his dreams had fully materialised, the tower might have looked less like the ancient landmark.
Granite for the tower's construction was procured from quarries in nearby Airds Bay, with the hope that the project would create employment for local stonemasons. Sadly, McCaig passed away following a cardiac arrest on June 29, 1902, leaving behind only the tower, much as it stands today, as an empty shell.
