FAMOUS SIGHTS
If you have a limited amount of time in the city, then these are the highlights we recommend that you try and see. Between them, they cover the broad strokes of Glasgow's history, heritage, and culture. Many are within walking distance of one another, and can all be taken in during a well-planned weekend.
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botanic gardens
In the few weeks of the year that Glaswegians call “summer,” you will often find residents and students flocking to this park, situated in the West End near the University of Glasgow.
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Nearest train/subway
Hillhead subway
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In the city's West End, with the main gate accessible where Byres Road meets Great Western Road.
ABOUT
The gardens were originally developed in 1817 to supply the university with plants for their botany department. It has an array of glasshouses, but the most impressive is Kibble Palace. The 19th Century greenhouse was initially conceived by John Kibble for his home in Coulport, then a summer retreat for wealthy Glaswegians, but now a Royal Navy Armament Depot. The conservatory was a famous sight of Coulport for over a decade until Kibble himself donated it to the Gardens in 1872. It was dismantled and shipped up the River Clyde on a barge, and reassembled in its current position.
Nearly 130 years later, the ironwork was heavily corroded, and so the Palace was shut between 2003 and 2006 while a £7 million repair project took place. Inside features an array of plant life, trees and herbs, such as the Australian Bottlebrush, Japanese Banana, and Camellia cultivars as well as various statues.
The gardens themselves have hosted numerous events, and continue to do so, including the outdoor Shakespeare festival company Bard in the Botanics. Occasionally they even perform inside Kibble Palace and is well worth trying to catch.
GALLERY
CATHEDRAL PRECINCT
Here you can find Glasgow Cathedral, Provand's Lordship House and Gardens, St. Mungo's Museum of Religious Life and Art, and the Edlington Gate, which leads to the Necropolis.
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High Street train station
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The precinct is located north-east of the city centre, at the top end of the High Street, just past Strathclyde University and next to the Necropolis.
ABOUT
Cathedral Precinct was the result of a competition launched in 1985 to redevelop the area and provide a glimpse into Glasgow's past. It was won by architecture firm Page Park, in association with Scottish sculptor Jack Sloan, whose works are dotted around the city.
The precinct is home to Provand’s Lordship House, the oldest building in Glasgow. Across the road is St. Mungo’s Museum of Religious Life & Art and Glasgow Cathedral.
Here you will find Edington Gate, which leads to the Bridge of Sighs and the Necropolis. There are several statues spread across the precinct, including three prominent businessmen from the 19th Century; James Lumsden, James White and James Arthur.
A statue of the Scottish medical missionary David Livingstone faces onto Castle Street. His meeting with Welsh journalist H.M Stanley gave rise to the infamous quote “Dr Livingstone, I presume?” when Stanley finally found Livingstone after an exhaustive search in Africa. The statue was originally placed in George Square, but moved to its current location in 1959. Behind it lies the Bishop’s Castle marker; a stone from the original medieval castle marking the location of the keep.
Just south of the precinct is the small Peace Gardens, with one of Glasgow’s four famous blue police boxes at its corner. Nearby are another two statues. The first is of Norman MacLeod, who was a Dean of the Chapel Royal, and a friend to Queen Victoria. He preached to her and her husband, Prince Albert, when they visited Scotland for the second time in 1844. MacLeod shares both his occupation and first name with his father and son, often leading to confusion.
The second, grander statue is of William II of Scotland (who is also William III of England). He is better known as William of Orange, as he was a Prince of the House of Orange-Nassau, though colloquially he is known as King Billy. The statue was funded by Glasgow businessman James Macrae and depicts William as a Roman Emperor astride a horse. It was originally positioned at Glasgow Cross, but moved to the Precinct in 1923. At the centre of the gardens, there is also a mural entitled "Let Peace Flourish."
Provand’s Lordship was built in 1471 by the then Bishop of Glasgow, Andrew Muirhead. It is believed that the original intention was to provide living quarters for the Preceptor of the nearby hospital. However, historic evidence suggests it was later occupied by a canon of the Cathedral Chapter assigned to the Provan (district) of Barlanark. It is rumoured that the post was handed to the illegitimate sons of Kings. The building was used as a sweet shop and factory in the early 20th Century before the Provand’s Lordship Society raised the funds to buy it and turn it into a museum. They furnished it to look like a 17th Century house with donations from Sir William Burrell (of The Burrell Collection).
The building itself has been renovated several times in order to stop it from falling into ruin. At the rear of the building lies the small, calming St. Nicolas Gardens, which opened in 1995. It features the famous Tontine Faces, which were sculpted by David Caiton. These baroque keystones originally adorned the arches of Glasgow Town Hall when it opened in 1790. When the hall was demolished, the heads were saved but scattered around the city. They were only reunited after their long history was uncovered by journalist James Cowan.
St. Mungo Museum is one of the few museums in the world completely devoted to religion. It is a relatively new addition to the city, having opened its doors in 1993. It was built in an ersatz-medieval style to match the surrounding buildings. It is named after the 6th Century Christian apostle St. Mungo, who was also known as St. Kertigern. he is credited as being the founder of the city of Glasgow.
While St. Mungo is mainly honoured in Roman Catholic and Anglican churches, the museum aims to promote and cultivate understanding between different faiths. It includes works from almost every religion on the planet, including Islamic calligraphy and Scotland's first-ever Zen Garden.
Glasgow Cathedral, also known as the High Kirk of Glasgow and St. Mungo’s Cathedral, was constructed during the latter half of the 12th Century. However, work on the cathedral continued well into the 15th Century. The site was chosen as it was thought to be the resting place of St. Mungo himself. The impressive cathedral is the only one in mainland Scotland to survive with its roof intact after the Scottish Reformation in 1560. This saw the country reject the Pope’s authority and the celebration of Mass forbidden. It only survived because the townsfolk took sole responsibility for repairs to the kirk. King James VI made available the tax from a number of lands in the surrounding area to fund ongoing maintenance.
You can gain access to the Necropolis by passing through the gold and black Edington Gates. They were designed by Glasgow architect David Hamilton in 1838 and produced in the city’s Phoenix Cast Iron Foundry (later known as the Edington Foundry). They were originally located on the Bridge of Sighs, which was designed by David’s son James. The gate features the insignia of the Merchants House, a Clipper Ship, accompanied by their motto, “Toties Redeuntis Eodem,” which translates to “so often returning to the same place.” Beyond this, but before the Bridge of Sighs, are a number of memorials to those lost before their time.
GALLERY
DUKE OF WELLINGTON
Duke of Wellington stands proudly outside of GOMA. His head is almost always decorated with a traffic cone, which has over the years become an unofficial symbol of the city.
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Buchanan Street subway
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In front of the Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA) facing onto Queen Street, looking down the length of Ingram Street
ABOUT
The Duke of Wellington statue is one of the defining symbols of Glasgow. The statue depicts Arthur Wellesley, the 1st Duke of Wellington, sitting proudly upon his loyal horse, Copenhagen.
The statue was sculpted by Italian artist Carlo Marochetti and erected in 1844. However, it came to prominence in the 1980s when locals started putting a cone on the statue's head. The odd headwear has remained in place ever since, in one form or another.
Over the years, the statue with the traffic cone on its head has become an unofficial symbol of the city. Despite many attempts by Glasgow City Council to remove the traffic cones from the Category-A listed statue, they always seem to find a way back.
More recently, the traffic cone has been used for marketing and decorative purposes. Businesses and organisations design cones displaying messages or icons. In the summer of 2012, it was painted gold to honour the Scottish athletes who won gold medals at the London Olympics Games.
GALLERY
gEORGE SQUARE
The heart of the city, nestled between Glasgow City Chambers and Queen Street train station, is a sprawling square that is home to several statues of famous Scots.
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Queen Street train station / Buchanan Street subway
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In the very heart of the city centre, next to Queen Street Station and Glasgow City Chambers.
ABOUT
George Square is the vibrant heart of the city. It is home to Glasgow City Chambers, Merchant House, and many statues. Ironically, the only statue missing is the titular George himself, King George III. A statue was commissioned and was to be placed on the tall plinth in the centre of the square. However, the planning and building of the square coincided with the War of American Independence in the late 1700s. This was a major issue for the so-called “Tobacco Lords,” the Glaswegian merchants who made their fortunes in trade with the American colonies. This animosity was compounded by the loss of the war in 1783.
To make matters worse, the ruling monarch was gripped by insanity, leading to his nickname, “The Mad King.” As a result, Glasgow's elite scrapped the planned statue of King George III. Instead, they chose to erect the first-ever memorial commemorating Sir Walter Scott, the famous Scottish novelist.
The writer is in good company, joined by fellow poets Robert Burns and Thomas Campbell. There are also statues of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, Prime Ministers Robert Peel and William Ewart Gladstone along with MP James Oswald. Army commanders Lord Clyde and Sir John Moore each have a statue, as does engineer James Watt and chemist Thomas Graham.
Here is a full list of the statues, their sculptors and when they were created:
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Robert Peel (by John Mossman - 1859)
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Queen Victoria (by Baron Marochetti - 1854)
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Prince Albert (by Baron Marochetti - 1856)
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James Watt (by Francis Legatt Chantrey - 1832)
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Robert Burns (by George Edwin Ewing - 1877)
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William Ewart Gladstone (by Hamo Thornycroft - 1902)
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Sir Walter Scott (by David Rhind, John Greenshield and Alexander Handyside Richie - 1837)
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Sir John Moore (by John Flaxman - 1819)
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Lord Clyde (by J H Foley - 1868)
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Thomas Campbell (by John Mossman - 1877)
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Thomas Graham (by William Brodie - 1872)
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James Oswald (by Baron Marochetti - 1856)
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The Cenotaph (by Sir J J Burnet and Ernest Gillick - 1924)
By the mid-19th century, the square had been transformed from a dingy hole of muddy water where horses were slaughtered, to the heart of the city. Queen Street station was opened to serve the railway line between Glasgow and the capital, Edinburgh. In the latter half of the century, the Merchant’s House moved to the west side of the square, and the Glasgow City Chambers opened in 1888, coincidentally the year Celtic Football Club played their first game. In its lifetime, the square has seen everything; public meetings, celebrations, ceremonies, political rallies, protests, riots, and was even ravaged by zombies for a major Hollywood production, World War Z, with Glasgow doubling Philadelphia.
GALLERY
GLASGOW GREEN
The oldest park in the city, was conceived in the 1500s when King James II granted the land to Bishop William Turnbull and all the people of Glasgow.
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High Street train station
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The park rolls out along the banks of the River Clyde in the East End of the city, between the Gorbals and Calton.
ABOUT
The park, the oldest in the city, is thought to be the birthplace of Rangers Football Club. The story goes that members of the local rowing club caught sight of the relatively new sport being played on Flesher’s Haugh in 1872, a piece of land that extended the park eastwards.
The green has served a variety of purposes since its inception, from grazing animals to washing clothes. The first of Glasgow’s steamies, The Washhouse, was opened on the bank of the Camlachie Burn (burn = a small river). This one of two burns that originally ran through the swampy parkland. The Camlachie Burn now runs under the James Martin Fountain, named after the 19th Century Baillie (senior councillor). He was best known for opposing a rich new housing development at a time when the city’s east end was in shambles. The fountain was cast in the popular Moorish style by Walter McFarlane.
Upon the grass sits the beautiful People’s Palace Museum and Winter Gardens. It was designed to inspire those living in the East End, an area that was significantly over-populated at the time. Those that were living there were often doing so in squalor. People Palace now serves as a social history museum. The winter gardens greenhouse extension at the back offers the chance to see unusual and exotic plant life.
At the front of the palace stands the Doulton Fountain. This five-tier terracotta fountain was designed in French Renaissance style by architect Arthur E. Pearce. It was built to commemorate the Queen's Golden Jubilee in 1887, and was the focal point of the International Exhibition held in 1888. It celebrates the reign of Queen Victoria, with four life-size water carriers from four British colonies pointing in the directions of the compass. There are four guards on the tier above, representing the regiments of Scotland, England, Ireland, and the Royal Navy. Queen Victoria visited Glasgow in 1849, and was the first monarch to do so since the 1600s. The statue of her on the peak of the fountain was destroyed by a lightning strike only one year after the fountain was moved to Glasgow Green in 1890.
To the east of the fountain lies the Templeton Carpet Factory. It was completed in 1889, a decade after the fountain arrived. Disaster seems to haunt this area. Soon after the factory opened, 29 people were killed when the back gable wall collapsed during a storm. A year later, a fire broke out in the factory, claiming yet more lives. It now serves as a business centre and apartment complex. West Bar and Brewery is also a resident here, so you can nip in for a tasty pint brewed on site in their basement.
Towering high in the centre of Glasgow Green is Nelson’s Monument. It was the first monument to be raised in the Vice-Admiral’s name, erected less than a year after his death in 1806.
Beside the monument is an odd-looking stone, etched with writing that tells of a moment of inspiration. In 1765, engineer James Watt (whose statue can be found in George Square) conceived the idea of a separate condenser for the steam engine while out for a stroll in the park. This invention is often cited as having kickstarted the industrial revolution.
Other sights of the park include the Judiciary Courthouse across from the western entrance, designed by architect William Stark. This is somewhat ironic, as he was best known for designing lunatic asylums. On the other side of the road rests the McLennan Arch, which was originally part of the old Assembly Rooms on Ingram Street built in 1796. Almost 100 years later, the building was demolished, but the central arch was saved, and eventually found a home in Glasgow Green.
At the opposite end of the Green is the Time Spiral; a set of stones arranged in a spiral formation. Each stone has a commemorative plaque detailing a significant historical event in the city's past.
GALLERY
GLASGOW SCIENCE CENTRE
With a mission to make science fun and thought-provoking for future generations, the Glasgow Science Centre is a must visit for children and adults alike.
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Nearest train/subway
Exhibition Centre train station
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The precinct is located north-east of the city centre, at the top end of the High Street, just past Strathclyde University and next to the Necropolis.
wHERE IS IT?
The precinct is located north-east of the city centre, at the top end of the High Street, just past Strathclyde University and next to the Necropolis.
wHERE IS IT?
To the west of the city centre on the south bank of the River Clyde, directly across from the SEC and adjacent to BBC Scotland.
ABOUT
Glasgow Science Centre is one of the city's newest attractions. It is comprised of three buildings built on the south bank of the River Clyde.
The main building is Science Mall, which resembles a slice of orange lying on its side. This building, a fusion of titanium and glass, houses several science exhibitions as well as a planetarium. The Science Mall is an ideal day out for people of all ages. It mixes learning with entertainment to prove that science can be fun.
The bulbous cocoon-like building next to that is the centre's IMAX Cinema. At the tip of the harbour stands Glasgow Tower. The tower was entered into the Guinness Book of Records as being the tallest tower (127 metres) that can turn a full 360 degrees. It is classed as a tower and not a building as it does not have floors continuously from the ground up.
The tower was, unfortunately, plagued by problems normally reserved for structures built on top of ancient burial grounds. During its short history, it has had to close several times. However, do not let this put you off taking a trip up to the viewing platform, as it offers a remarkable view of Glasgow and the River Clyde.
GALLERY
KELVINGROVE MUSEUM
The Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum is the pride of Glasgow and the most popular free museum in Scotland, with over 8000 pieces of work housed in twenty-two themed galleries.
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Nearest train/subway
Kelvinhall subway
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In the city's West End, adjacent to Kelvingrove Park and Kelvin Hall, with the University of Glasgow looming on the hill above.
ABOUT
The first thing that may strike you about Kelvingrove Museum is that it appears to have been built backwards. The museum's main entrance faces the River Kelvin rather than Argyle Street, where most pedestrians will approach from. While this was always intended to be the case, there is an urban myth that the architects, Sir John. W. Simpson and E.J Milner Allen, leapt to their deaths upon seeing the error.
This is, to borrow a local phrase, utter mince.
Officially opened in 1901, the late Victorian building is the most popular free museum in all of Scotland. A century after opening, it received a £25 million refurbishment between 2003 and 2006. Tourists flock here to see one of the most impressive collections of arms and armour in the entire world, including an actual Spitfire. It boasts an exquisite European art collection from various eras. It also features work from homegrown talents and graduates of the Glasgow Art School.
One of its most famous pieces is Christ of Saint John of the Cross by prominent Spanish artist Salvador Dali. If you wish to see some Scottish artwork, check out The Glasgow Boys gallery. It features works from a group of radical Scottish artists who created a substantial body of work between 1880 and 1895. This movement sowed the seeds of modern Scottish painting.
In 2022, Glasgow band Twin Atlantic shot the music video for their song One Man Party in the museum. The video was shot in one night by Scottish director Nicholas Afchain.
GALLERY
KELVINGROVE PARK
Nestled between Park Circus and the University of Glasgow, this parkland was originally created to cater for the middle classes that migrated west during the Industrial Revolution.
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Nearest train/subway
Kelvinbridge subway
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In the city's West End, next to Kelvingrove Museum and the University of Glasgow
ABOUT
Thought to be Glasgow’s first ‘common land,’ it is named for the River Kelvin which cuts and bends through the park. The layout of the park, with its paths cutting down the hillside, was designed by English Gardner Sir Joseph Paxton. He was the leading landscaper of his generation, and is best known for his work on London’s Crystal Palace.
The park has several point of heritage to discover, such as the Stewart Memorial Fountain, built for Lord Provost Robert Stewart. There are also statues of scientist Lord Kelvin and Field Marshall Lord Earl Roberts of Kandahar. This is one of three war memorial statues; the other two are the Highland Light Infantry Memorial, and the Cameronian Rifles Memorial.
The park features a large play area for children, and an extended skate park adjoining it. Nearby is a small duck pond that attracts a great deal of birdlife. The pond was once highlighted on the BBC’s now-defunct Breathing Places program.
In addition to the real wildlife, there is a sculpture of a Bengal Tigress. It was bought for the city by Glaswegian John Stewart Kennedy, who had emigrated to New York. There is a duplicate version in New York's Central Park, which was donated by Kennedy and Samuel Morse, the inventor of the telegram.
Here is a full list of the statues that can be found in the park, their sculptors and when they were created:
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Cameronian Rifles Memorial (by Paul Lindsey Clark - 1924)
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Port Sunlight Cottages (by James Miller - 1901)
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The Vital Spark (by George Wyllie, commissioned by Leslie & Alma Wolfson - 2006)
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Lord Lister Monument (by George Henry Paulin - 1924)
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Lord Kelvin Monument (by Archibald Macfarlane Shannan - 1908)
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Carlyle Monument (by William Kellock Brown - 1916)
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An Clachan Memorial (1911)
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Highland Light Infantry Memorial (by William Birnie Rhind - 1906)
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Lord Roberts Monument (by Harry Bates, original in Calcutta, 1888. Duplicated by Henry Poole - 1916)
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Bengal Tigress (by Auguste-Nicolas Cain (statue) and John Mossman (base) - 1867)
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Park Gardens Staircase (by Charles Wilson - 1855)
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Stewart Memorial Fountain (by James Sellars, John Mossman and James Young - 1871-72)
Just off Kelvin Way is the Kelvingrove Bandstand. Added in 1924, it was a popular venue for outdoor music, but fell afoul of vandalism and lay abandoned from the early 1990s. The charity Friends of Kelvingrove Park led the charge to have it brought back to life. Along with various MPs and bands including Belle & Sebastian, Franz Ferdinand and Teenage Fanclub, they petitioned to have the building restored. In April 2012, they were successful, with Historic Scotland awarding £245,000 from the Building Repair Grant Scheme. The refurbishments were completed by architect firm Page\Park in 2014, in association with the Glasgow Building Preservation Trust, costing a total of £1.6 million.
GALLERY
THE NECROPOLIS
The biggest of the four Necropolises found in Glasgow, this 37-acre "City of the Dead" Victorian garden cemetery is managed and maintained by the Friends of Glasgow Necropolis.
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Nearest train/subway
High Street train station
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Just east of the city centre, accessed via the Edington Gate next to Glasgow Cathedral.
ABOUT
A stone’s throw from Glasgow Cathedral, the Northern Necropolis is one of four in the city. The Southern Necropolis rests within the Gorbals district, the Eastern Necropolis is situated near Celtic Park in the Gallowgate area, while the smaller Western Necropolis adjoins St. Kentigern’s Roman Catholic Cemetery in Lambhill. Although the Necropolis is not as big as its southern counterpart, it was the first to be built, and is the more famous due to its proximity to the Cathedral.
The Necropolis opened in 1833 and features over 3500 monuments. Many were designed by famous architects and sculptors, including Alexander “Greek” Thomson. There are over 50,000 souls interned here, many of whom do not even have gravestones.
The main access to the garden cemetery is via the Bridge of Sighs, over what used to be Molendinar Burn. Don't expect to see a river though; the waterway was covered over in the late 19th Century. The bridge was designed by architect David Hamilton, who, along with his son James, also designed the Edington Gate. From here, you can walk up the path that swirls around the hill that the site is built upon. You can admire several monuments and headstones on the walk up. Once you reach the top, you'll find a statue of famous Scots clergyman John Knox, which predates the Necropolis by a decade.
Among the 50,000 people buried there, one of the most famous is Andrew McCall. While there is little information on McCall himself, the Celtic Cross that marked his final resting place was the first solo commission of Charles Rennie Mackintosh. Unfortunately, the cross was damaged and repaired at least twice. In 1991, the head was broken when it fell over. It was put back together in 1996 by J. & G. Mossman. Further damage meant that it had to be repaired again in 2005, this time by Kenneth Pollok-Smith of Mossmans.
While the park is free to enter, the Friends of Glasgow Necropolis run organised tours at the weekend for a small fee, which is well worth it. More information can be found on their website.
GALLERY
RIVER CLYDE & BRIDGES
The River Clyde, the third longest in Scotland behind the Tay and the Spey, is Glasgow’s most defining feature, not just in terms of geography, but also through industry, trade, and art.
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Nearest train/subway
Govan/Partick subway (west)
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The River Clyde cuts through the centre of the city flowing East to West, with the majority of bridges located between Glasgow Green and the SEC.
ABOUT
As the Industrial Revolution took hold of the world, the Clyde was dredged to make the river deeper. This allowed ships to sail all the way to Glasgow, rather than stopping at Port Glasgow as they had done prior to this.
This had two major effects on the city. It turned Glasgow into a strategically important port. However, it also transformed the city's industry from one of trade to one of manufacturing. The city's focus moved to steelwork and shipbuilding. Factories and shipyards sprung up, causing a boom in the city’s population. Glasgow reached breaking point as its population soared past 1 million people, almost double what it is today. It was one of the first cities in Europe to reach this population level.
The Clyde’s reputation and success continued until World War II, when several of the shipyards were struck by the Luftwaffe during The Blitz. This, coupled with post-war competition from other nations, saw a gradual decline of shipbuilding in Glasgow. There are currently only two surviving shipyards, Yarrow and Fairfields, both owned and operated by BAE Systems. One of the old shipyards, the Govan Graving Docks, can still be accessed, with many old remnants of its shipbuilding past intact.
In recent years, there has been renewed investment in the waterway, thanks to the Clyde Waterfront Regeneration Project. One of the prime examples is the Glasgow Digital Media Quarter located at Pacific Quay. It is home to the BBC and STV, as well as other media companies and hotels. Next door to this is the Glasgow Science Centre, IMAX Cinema and Glasgow Tower.
There is also a plan to regenerate the Govan Graving Docks with the new Govan Wetlands project. Further west in the neighbouring town of Renfrew, the Braehead Shopping Centre and Xscape Leisure Centre have been built directly across from the King George V Docks. Next to the shopping centre is Clyde View Park. It features statues by artist Kenny Munro, which he designed with the help and input of Renfrewshire’s schoolchildren.
Of course, a river would not be so handy if there were not bridges to cross it. Thankfully, Glasgow has a staggering 21 bridges crossing over the Clyde, with a 22nd one planned in Govan. These are a mixture of road, rail and footbridges that span not only the river but the last two centuries of the city’s history. You can learn a lot from Glasgow’s history from the various names and designs of these bridges.
Here is a full list of the bridges along with the year they were constructed, going from west to east:
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Govan-Partick footbridge (due 2024)
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Millennium Bridge (2002)
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Bells Bridge (1989)
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Clyde Arc / The Squinty Bridge (2006)
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Kingston Bridge (1970)
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Tradeston Footbridge (2008)
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George V Bridge (1929)
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2nd Caledonian Railway Bridge (1905)
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1st Caledonian Railway Bridge (1878)
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Glasgow Bridge (1899)
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South Portland Street Suspension Bridge (1853)
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Victoria Bridge (1854)
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The City Union Railway Bridge (1899)
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Albert Bridge (1871)
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Tidal Weir and Pipe Bridge (1901, rebuilt 1949)
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St. Andrew’s Suspension Bridge (1856)
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King’s Bridge (1933)
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Polmadie Bridge (1955)
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Rutherglen Bridge (1896)
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1st Dalmarnock Railway Bridge (1861)
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2nd Dalmarnock Railway Bridge (1897)
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Dalmarnock Bridge (1897)
In addition to the bridges, there is also the Clyde Tunnel, which carries commuters under the river, connecting Govan and Linthouse with Scotstoun and Partick.
GALLERY
SAINT MUNGO
A larger-than-life modern day depiction of Glasgow's founder, Saint Mungo, one of several pieces of street art in the city created by Glasgow-based street artist Sam Bates a.k.a. Smug.
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Nearest train/subway
High Street train station
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At the end of a row of tenements on High Street, just south of Cathedral Precinct
ABOUT
The mesmerising street art on the gable end of the curving tenement block depicts Saint Mungo, Glasgow's patron saint, in the modern era, with a pair of robins. It is just along from Glasgow Cathedral, where Saint Mungo was laid to rest.
Glasgow-based street artist Sam Bates a.k.a. Smug has been practising his craft for over fifteen years, having developed a photo-realistic style that he has freely exhibited up and down the country.
He rarely names his street art, so the name comes from social media. This piece was finished in 2016. Two years later, Smug completed another piece at the opposite end of the tenement block, known as St Enoch and Child. Again, it features a robin settled on St Enoch's hand, as she cradles the infant St Mungo, the bird serving as a visual motif.
The robin is important here because it references the Glasgow coat of arms and the four symbols:
There’s the tree that never grew,
There’s the bird that never flew,
There’s the fish that never swam,
There’s the bell that never rang.
"There's the bird that never flew" references a story from Saint Mungo's young about a wild robin that St Serf tamed. The robin was accidentally killed by some of his disciples who then blamed it on Saint Mungo. He took the dead bird in his hands and prayed, restoring it to life, whereupon it flew to its master.
GALLERY
THE UNIVERSITY OF GLASGOW
Founded in 1451, the University of Glasgow is the second oldest university in Scotland behind St. Andrews, and fourth oldest in the English speaking world behind Oxford and Cambridge.
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Nearest train/subway
Hillhead subway
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In the heart of Glasgow's West End, with the oldest buildings located on University Avenue.
ABOUT
The University of Glasgow was originally located near Glasgow Cathedral when it was founded by Bishop Turnbull in 1451. It remained there for over 400 years. In 1871, the Industrial Revolution caused rapid expansion in the area, which fell into decline. A decision was made to move the university to its current Gilmorehill campus in the more affluent West End.
The main building of the new campus echoed the original. It was designed in the Gothic revival style by Sir George Gilbert Scott, who also designed St. Mary’s Cathedral in Edinburgh. Sir George died in 1878, before the main building could be completed. It fell to his son Oldrid to finish the work, which included the two quadrangles and Bute Hall. The current Gilmorehill campus now boasts over 50 buildings, with additional campuses in nearby Garscube and Dumfries.
Over the last five centuries, the University has nurtured the talents of seven Nobel laureates. This includes John Boyd Orr, who has a building named after him. Edwin Morgan, Poet Laureate and National Poet for Scotland, studied here, as did writers Alastair MacLean, James Alfred White, better known as James Herriot. John Grierson, the father of documentary filmmaking, was also a student here.
Several politicians also gained an education at the University of Glasgow. Their ranks include two prime ministers, Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman and Andrew Bonar Law. Former leader of the Labour party John Smith studied here, as did Donald Dewar, first First Minister of the Scottish Parliament. SNP Leader and First Minister Nicola Sturgeon is also a graduate.
Scotland’s first female graduates earned their degrees here in 1894. Among their number was the Suffragette Elizabeth 'Dorothea' Lyness, who studied medicine here. The university boasts several medical achievements, including the world’s first ultrasound images of a foetus. This marvellous image was published by Glasgow Professor Ian Donald in 1958.
The university also features not one but two student unions, the Glasgow Union (GU) and the Queen Margaret Union. Despite women gaining entry into the university in the last 1800s, the GU remained a staunch male-only union. This led to the establishment of the QMU. Thankfully, in the modern age, men and women frequent both unions. The QMU is more associated with the arts, and has become one of Glasgow’s premiere live music venues.
For fans of the film Being John Malkovich, a creative faculty member stuck a sign on a small cupboard door in the Kelvin Building. Now known as Room 256, the sign indicates that it leads to the office (and possibly mind) of one Dr. John Malkovich.
