The past two centuries have marked the age of the city in Scotland. Powered by industrial growth and driven by social change, much of the nation has been transformed from the rural to the urban. But the stories of our cities began long before this. From ancient origins to the construction of some of the world's most fascinating buildings, through hardships of war, plague, fire and economic depression to innovative programmes of urban renewal, our cities bear the scars and boast the treasures of thousands of years of incredible progress and change. Across the central belt, vast, brash Glasgow meets classically austere Edinburgh. Dundee, a city built by an old Empire, now thrives on new technology. In the granite shadows of Aberdeen, a vibrant fishing community has been changed forever by the arrival of the oil barons. And then there are Scotland's newest cities: Stirling, once a centre of Royal power, and Inverness, the urban gateway to a wild Highland landscape.

This lavishly illustrated volume looks at the character and development of each of Scotland's six cities, drawing on stunning aerial photography from the 1920s to the present day to tell their fascinating stories from a unique and illuminating perspective. And for the first time ever, in a special dedicated section, readers can view images of Scotland's cities in 3D, seeing stunning details rise up out of the page, from the imposing rocky heights of the castles of Edinburgh and Stirling, to the ordered grid-iron canyons of central Glasgow.