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Situated on the banks of the River Tay, the City of Perth is the administrative centre of the Perth and Kinross Council Area.

There is evidence of human settlement in Perth since prehistoric times, and Perth was officially founded as a settlement in the early 12th century, and it quickly became a hub for trade and commerce. In 1160, Perth was granted the status of a royal burgh, which granted it the right to hold markets and fairs.

Perth was also the site of several important battles, including the Battle of the Clans in 1396, and it was a stronghold during the Wars of Independence.

King James VI made Perth his official residence in the 16th century. Unfortunately, the palace was destroyed by fire in the 17th century, although the ruins can still be viewed.

The Scottish Reformation had a significant impact on the city. Two of Perth's four monastic institutions at the time of the Reformation, the Greyfriars and the Blackfriars, were ransacked during a sermon given by John Knox in St. John's Kirk in 1559.

The 1701 Act of Settlement brought about Jacobite uprisings, and Jacobite supporters occupied the city in 1689, 1715, and 1745.

The founding of Perth Academy in 1696 brought major industries to the city, including the production of linen, leather, bleach, and whisky.

Still in operation, Perth Academy is a non-denominational state secondary school situated on a hill in the Viewlands area of the city. Its campus is shared with Viewlands Primary School, with many students attending both schools during their education.

Currently, the school follows the National Curriculum for Scotland, and is moving to the new Curriculum for Excellence. Perth Academy has links with other educational institutions in Perth, including Perth High School and Perth College.

Today, although the whisky industry has declined, the city has been able to diversify and attract new industries and commerce. Perth serves as a retail and financial centre for the surrounding region. Its textile industries have attracted skilled artisans and craftsmen, and the city sports a large shopping centre - St. John's Centre - as well as several specialist shoppes.

UHI Perth, a campus of the University of the Highlands and Islands, was established in 1961, offering higher education on-campus and through distance learning. UHI Perth also owns Air Service Training, based at Perth Airport, which has been delivering aeronautical engineering courses since 1934.

Perth is also home to HM Prison Perth. Originally built to hold French prisoners captured during the Napoleonic Wars, it is the oldest prison still in use in Scotland.

With more than half of Perth's population belonging to one of the city's Christian denominations, Christianity is the most common religion in the city. Unsurprisingly, the Church of Scotland is the most popular Christian denomination, with nine churches throughout the city. The second most popular Christian denomination is the Roman Catholic Church, which has three churches in Perth. St. Mary's Monastery, a Redemptorist congregation, is on the city's eastern edge. Other denominations active in Perth include the Episcopalians, Presbyterians, Pentecostals, Methodists, Mormons, Quakers, the Salvation Army, and other Protestant churches and ministries. The Perth Islamic community has a mosque on Glasgow Road.

Popular tourist attractions in Perth include the Perth Museum and Art Gallery, Scone Palace, Black Watch Castle and Museum, Kinnoull Hill, Fergusson Gallery, Perth Concert Hall, North Inch Park, St. John's Kirk, Perth Racecourse, and Tay Street.

Perth hosts tourists throughout the year, and warmer than many other Scottish destinations throughout the year, due in part to its temperate maritime climate. Still, the ideal time to visit the city is during the summer, when the days are longer and the temperatures are comfortable. Still, the off-seasons can offer different opportunities, including lighter crowds and better prices.

The focus of this portion of our guide is on the City of Perth, Scotland. Online resources representing the city government or any other governmental institutions within the city, as well as local businesses, industries, schools, medical facilities, places of worship, and others.

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