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Places Of Interest in Glasgow |
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Glasgow is packed
to bursting with fascinating architecture, historic buildings
and breathtaking sights, so sit back and relax as we guide
you through some of the best of the bunch. In the historic quarter, aptly named the Medieval City, there are a number of impressive old buildings, including the Glasgow Cathedral [map]. Founded in 543 AD by Glasgow's patron saint St Mungo, the cathedral sits on the site of a Christian burial ground and is Scotland's oldest medieval church. The first stone church on this site was established in 1136 by Bishop Achaius and King David I, but was destroyed by fire and rebuilt in 1197. The present building is Gothic-style and dates back to the 13th century. Glasgow’s other cathedral St Andrew’s [map] is located on Dunlop Street and was built in 1817 by James Gillespie Graham to re-introduce the Roman Catholic presence to the city. A recent refurbishment of the church has revealed its true gothic character and the statue of St Andrew takes pride of place on the ground floor. Back in the Medieval City you’ll find Provand’s Lordship [map], the oldest surviving house in Glasgow that was built in 1471 as the minister’s house for the St Nicholas Hospital. It is believed that the house was used by Mary, Queen of Scots in 1566 during a visit to Glasgow to see Lord Darnley. These days it operates as a museum and houses a collection of medieval furniture and artefacts spread over three floors. Take a walk behind Glasgow Cathedral and you’ll stumble across The Necropolis [map], an old cemetery dominated by the 62-metre high statue of John Knox. Its design was based on the Pere Lachaise cemetery in Paris and the elaborate tombs are home to many obscure Glasgow Victorian dignitaries and a few famous ones. On weekdays guides are available to show visitors around the cemetery but you can enjoy the excellent views of the cathedral and beyond at any time from the top of the hill. For more of Glasgow’s elaborate history take a peek at the Tolbooth Steeple [map] situated on Glasgow Cross, which was the 17th century equivalent to the City Chambers. The building opened in 1627 when it marked the arrival of the merchant classes to the city and housed the town clerk's office, council hall and city prison, which held witches, murderers and thieves. Scotland’s largest city is home to a vast array of statues commemorating heroes, politicians and lords of days gone by. One of the most famous of these is the Duke of Wellington statue in front of the Gallery of Modern Art [map]. Depicting his many battles, this is a tribute to the man who commanded the British forces against Napoleon and had his most famous victory at Waterloo in 1815. For a taste of Glasgow’s exquisite architecture head to Laurieston House [map], a Grade I listed building said to be the most ornate Georgian house in Britain. Designed in 1802 by Peter Nicolson, the exterior has a very Greek style, whilst the interior is influenced by famous Edinburgh architect Robert Adam, with great Corinthian, columned staircases and domes. A display of the city’s modern architecture is the Kingston Bridge, two parallel bridges carrying ten lanes of traffic that were designed in 1970 by Fairhurst and Partners. The bridge towers 60 feet above the River Clyde, with a main span of 470 feet. When it first opened it carried 31,000 vehicles a day as part of the M8 motorway but by 1996 this had become 155,000, making it Britain's busiest road bridge. If you fancy a quiet stroll among exotic flowers and plants or want to enjoy a picnic is idyllic surroundings take a trip to the Botanic Gardens [map] at the northern end of Byres Road. Here you can wander through the tranquil urban park and admire Kibble Palace, a domed glasshouse built in 1873 that is now home to a stunning collection of orchids and tropical plants. There is also plenty of wildlife, including squirrels, and interactive exhibitions to keep the kids occupied for a couple of hours. For an historic shopping experience pay a visit to the Barras [map], Scotland’s largest indoor market that is made up of nine distinct markets. You can find almost anything here "from an anchor to a needle" making a trip to the Barras a fun day out for the whole family. Finally, east of George Square is a grid-plan of streets known as Merchant City [map], which used to be a centre of trade where many of the Tobacco Lords built elaborate mansions. In the past two decades the area has been cleaned up with great enthusiasm in an attempt to bring residents back into the city centre. The plan worked and the Merchant City is again bustling with businesspeople and trendy cafés, designer boutiques and chic bars. |
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