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East of the Merchant City, the Trongate leads towards the High Street, once the heart of Glasgow but now the shabby poor relation to the shiny, rejuvenated city centre. Beyond the High Street lies the city's East End, a staunch working class area and centre of the large Irish immigrant population in the late 19th century. Even here, though, the seemingly inevitable reach of gentrification is evident, especially around the Saltmarket and St Andrew's Square.
Sights
Glasgow Cross
Trongate and High St
The Merchant City is bound to the east by the High Street and to the south by Trongate. These two streets meet at Glasgow Cross, once the centre of trade and administration and regarded as the city centre, until the coming of the railway in the mid-19th century. It is now little more than a traffic junction, in the centre of which stands the 38 m-high Tolbooth Steeple, one of only three crowned steeples in the country, and the only remnant of the original tolbooth built in 1626, which housed the courthouse and prison (described by Sir Walter Scott in his novel Rob Roy). l The nearby Mercat Cross is a 1929 replica of the medieval original, and is notable as the work of Edith Burnet, Britains first registered female architect. It stands in front of the impressive, though isolated, Mercat Building, designed in 1922 by Graham Henderson.
Tron Steeple
Trongate
Only a few yards west of the Tolbooth Steeple is the Tron Steeple, the only surviving part of St Marys Collegiate Church, dating from 1485 and converted to a civic church in 1586. The original old kirk was accidentally burnt to the ground by members of the aptly named Glasgow Hellfire Club in 1793. After a meeting, they went to the church to warm themselves by a fire, which got out of control. It was replaced a year later by a James Adam design. The steeple has been incorporated into the modern frontage of the Tron Theatre , and the interior of the replacement church forms the theatre auditorium. The name comes from the public weighing machine or tron which was located just outside the church
Sharmanka Kinetic Gallery and Theatre
14 King St T 0141-552 7080, http://www.sharmanka.com. Performances on Sun at 1500,short programme for children, and 1900, Tue 1900, Thu 1900, £4, children free
Just south of Trongate, is King Street a lively area crammed with contemporary art galleries and studios, and laid-back bars and cafés. The Sharmanka at number 14, puts on performances by mechanical sculptures made from carved wooden figures and old bits of junk. A great place to take the kids.
The Briggait
141 Bridgegate
On Bridgegate (or Briggait), is the Merchants Steeple (1665), 164 feet-high with details in Gothic and Renaissance style. It is all thats left of the old Merchants House, built in 1659. The Merchants left this part of the city in the early 19th century to escape the growing squalor, and moved several times before finally settling in George Square in 1877. The old steeple was eventually incorporated into the Briggait, built originally as the Fishmarket in 1872-73. The huge hall, with its cast-iron galleries, has been beautifully restored and now houses production and events facilities for artists' studios.
The area between the Briggait and the Sheriff Court (see below) is the site of Paddys Market (every weekend 1000-1700), so named because in the mid-19th century this was where famine-stricken Irish immigrants sold their clothes for money to feed their families. Its a great place for bargain hunters and thrift store aficionados to rummage around to their hearts content.
Saltmarket and St Andrews Square
10 mins' walk from St Enoch centre.
Sweeping down from Glasgow Cross to the river is the Saltmarket, the citys most des res district in the early 18th century, with its peaceful and secluded riverside location. The arrival of slaughterhouses, bleachfields, the Sheriff Court House and, in 1829, the construction of Hutcheson's Bridge, put an end to its secluded status. The late 19th century sandstone tenements which line the street have recently been cleaned up and represent a fine example of the East Ends ongoing gentrification. At the bottom of the Saltmarket is the original court house, whose delicate neoclassical symmetry was, in effect, destroyed by the building of Hutcheson's Bridge. The new courthouse building is tucked in behind.
Heading back north along the Saltmarket towards Glasgow Cross, St Andrews Street turns right into St Andrews Square, which is filled by the magnificent St Andrews Church, one of the finest classical churches in Britain. Sadly neglected for many years, it has now been restored to its Georgian splendour. It no longer functions as a church but has been cleverly converted to house a sleek café downstairs and a Scottish music venue upstairs, where you can see the stunning original stained-glass windows and intricate plaster work. Concerts and ceilidhs are staged throughout the year (tickets are available from Café Source, T 0141-5486020).
Nearby, on the corner of Turnbull Street and Greendyke Strret, is the Episcopalian kirk, St Andrews-by-the-Green, which aroused the anger of the citys staunch Presbyterians with its sinfully ornate decoration, cushioned seats, and the positively debauched notion of introducing an organ, which earned it the name the Whistlin Kirkie. The innocent-looking church is a startling example of 18th century Glasgow amidst much 21st century development.
The Barras
The market is held every weekend, 1000-1700. Main entrance on Gallowgate.
East of Glasgow Cross, Gallowgate and London Road lead into the citys East End, only a stones throw from the Merchant City. It may look shabby and run-down by comparison, but this is where you can sample a slice of pure Glasgow, especially in The Barras, the famous market which occupies almost the entire area between Gallowgate and London Road, and from Ross Street to Bain Street. Its main entrances are marked by distinctive red, cast-iron gateways which lead you in to a scruffy jumble of tenements, warehouses, sheds and pavements. You could spend days rummaging around through acres of cheap, new and second-hand goods. A lot of its junk (dodgy computer games, pirate videos etc) but there are plenty of bargains to be found. The real attraction though, is the atmosphere of the place and wit and repartee of the market traders. This is also the site of the famed Barrowlands dance hall, one of Glasgows great music venues .
Glasgow Green
Main entrance on Saltmarket.
South of The Barras is the wide expanse of Glasgow Green, said to be the oldest public park in Britain. It has been common land since at least medieval times and Glaswegians still have the right to dry their washing here. Bonnie Prince Charlie reviewed his troops here in 1745 before they were hung out to dry by the English at Culloden. The Green has always been dear to the people of Glasgow and is a vital part of the citys folklore. It served as the first home of the Glasgow Golf Club, established in the 18th century and was also where the two Old Firm clubs were founded, in the 19th century. Throughout its history, the Green has been the scene of mills, washing houses and abattoirs and the Glasgow Fair was held here for years. Some of the citys political demonstrators have held meetings here, including the Chartists in the 1830s and Scottish republican campaigners in the 1920s. There are various monuments dotted around, including a 44 m-high monument to Lord Nelson, erected in 1806, one to James Watt, and the 14 m-high Doulton Fountain, first seen at the 1888 International Exhibition in Kelvingrove and later moved to its present site.
On the edge of the green, opposite the Peoples Palace, is Templetons Carpet Factory, or Doges Palace as it is nicknamed. This bizarre but beautiful structure was designed in 1889 by William Leiper in Venetain style and is surely one of the most extravagantly incongruous buildings in the world. Once described as the worlds finest example of decorative brickwork, its Britains best example of polychromatic decoration. The building was converted to the Templeton Business Centre in 1984.
Peoples Palace
Glasgow Green, T 0141-554 0223, http://www.glasgowmuseums.com">http://www.glasgowmuseums.com. Mon-Thu and Sat 1000-1700, Fri and Sun 1100-1700. Free. Bus 16, 18, 43, 64, 203, 263.
On the northern end of the green, approached from London Road, is the Peoples Palace, opened in 1898 as a folk museum for the East End. The recently refurbished museum is a genuinely fascinating place to visit and gives a real insight into life of this great city and its people from the mid-18th century to the present day. This is very much a social history, told from the perspective of so-called ordinary folk, though their ability to survive in often desperate conditions proves just how extraordinary they often were.
How they survived was through their famous gritty humour which has been exported worldwide thanks to comic genius, Billy Connolly, the Big Yin. You can hear him on the audio phones scattered throughout the galleries. These also feature other Glasgow comedians such as Stanley Baxter and Ricki Fulton. The Big Yins famous banana boots are on display part of the wealth of artefacts, photographs, cartoons and drawings, in addition to a series of films, music and peoples anecdotes. Theres a reconstructed steamie (communal laundry) from nearby Ingram Street, brochures extolling the delights of a trip doon the watter on the Clyde, and video displays on the patter Glaswegian à la Rab C Nesbitt.
The museum doesnt shrink from covering the less salubrious aspects of city history either. Theres a display on the bevvy (drink) which includes a barrow once used regularly by the police to wheel drunks home. Theres also a small display on the sectarian divide in city football evidenced by a t-shirt protesting at Rangers signing of Mo Johnston (their first Catholic player). A visit to the Peoples Palace should be on everyones itinerary, particularly if youre interested in scratching beneath the citys surface and getting to know it better. Allow at least an hour, preferably two, to take it all in.
When you start to suffer from information overload, take a break in the café in the very wonderful Winter Gardens, a gigantic conservatory at the rear of the museum, full of exotic plants and without doubt the most relaxing cup of coffee in the entire city.
Glasgow Cathedral
High St, T 0141-552 6891, http://www.historic-scotland.gov.uk. Apr-Sep Mon-Sat 0930-1800, Sun 1400-1700, Oct-Mar Mon-Sat 0930-1600, Sun 1400-1600. Free.
A 15-minute walk from George Square is Glasgow Cathedral. The early Gothic structure is the only complete medieval cathedral on the Scottish mainland. It was built on the site of St Mungos original church, established in AD 543, though this has been a place of Christian worship since it was blessed for burial in AD 397. Most of the building was completed in the 13th century though parts were built a century earlier by Bishop Jocelyn. The choir and crypt were added a century later and the building was completed at the end of the 15th century by Robert Blacader, the first Bishop of Glasgow.
During the Reformation, the citys last Roman Catholic Archbishop, James Beaton, took off for France with most of the cathedral treasures, just ahead of the townsfolk who proceeded to rid the building of all traces of idolatry by destroying altars, statues, vestments and the valuable library. The present furnishings mostly date from the 19th century and many of the windows have been renewed with modern stained-glass. The most outstanding feature in the cathedral is the fan vaulting around St Mungos tomb in the crypt. Theres also fine work in the choir, including a 15th century stone screen, the only one of its kind left in any pre-Reformation secular (non-monastic) church in Scotland.
Behind the cathedral looms the Western Necropolis, a vast burial ground overlooking the city from the top of a high ridge. It was modelled on the Père Lachaise cemetery in Paris. Around 3,500 tombs have been built here and around 50,000 burials have taken place. Most of the burials took place in the 19th century and the ornate nature of many of the tombs makes it appear as if the city worthies buried here really were trying to take their money with them when they died. Its the ideal vantage point from which to appreciate the cathedral in all its Gothic splendour and many of the tombs are well worth a look. The graveyard is overseen by a statue of John Knox, the 16th century firebrand reformer. Theres also a monument to William Miller who penned the nursery rhyme Wee Willie Winkie. Look out for a monument to Alexander McCall; a Celtic Cross as its the first solo work by Charles Rennie Mackintosh.
St Mungo Museum of Religious Life and Art
2 Castle St, T 0141-553 2557, http://www.glasgow.gov.uk Mon-Thu and Sat 1000-1700, Fri and Sun 1100-1700. Free. Provands Lorship: same phone number and opening hours.
In front of the cathedral is the weetabix-coloured St Mungo Museum of Religious Life and Art, which features a series of displays of arts and artefacts representing the six major world religions, as well as a Japanese Zen garden in the courtyard outside great for a few moments of quiet contemplation. Highlights include Salvador Dalís astounding Christ of St John of the Cross, purchased by the city from the artist in 1951. You can also see a Native American ceremonial blanket depicting sacred animals, masks used in African initiation rites, and an Islamic prayer rug. Displays on religion in the west of Scotland cover everything from the Temperance Movement of the late 19th century, to the religious life of the modern citys vibrant ethnic communities. Dont miss the extremely interesting comments on the visitors board. Theres also a bookshop and a café serving hot meals, snacks and drinks.
Across the street is the Provands Lorship, the oldest remaining house in Glasgow, built in 1471 as part of a refuge for the citys poor and extended in 1670. It has also served as an inn of rather dubious repute in its time. Now its a museum devoted mainly to medieval furniture and various domestic items. In the grounds is a specially created medieval garden.
Close to the cathedral, at Parson Street, just off the High Street and M8, is one of Charles Rennie Mackintoshs lesser-known works, the Martyrs Public School (T287 8955, daily 1300-1600, free). Built in 1895, on the very street where CRM was born, this solid red sandstone building is clearly visible from the top of the High Street.
Buchanan Street to Charing Cross
Glasgow's commercial heart is the area between Buchanan Street and the M8 to the west. This vast grid-plan which inspired town planners in the USA is home to the city's main shopping streets and arcades, as well as its businesses and financial institutions. It is also where you'll find many of its architectural treasures.
St Enoch Square
Nearest Underground is St Enoch.
At the bottom (south) end of Buchanan Street is St Enoch Square, dominated by the St Enoch Centre, a gigantic glass-covered complex of shops, fast-food outlets and an ice rink. Opposite the shopping complex are some notable buildings, such as the Royal Bank of Scotland and the Teacher building, headquarters of the whisky maker until 1991. In the centre of the square is the St Enoch subway station, and an attractive little Jacobean pavilion which now houses the SPT Travel Centre.
Argyle Street
Nearest Underground is St Enoch.
St Enoch Square looks onto Argyle Street, one of Glasgows most famous shopping streets. Though its status has been usurped in recent decades by the more fashionable streets to the north, it does boast the Argyle Arcade, Scotlands first ever indoor shopping mall, built in 1827 in the Parisian style, at the junction with Buchanan Street. Argyle Street runs west from here under the railway bridge at Central Station.
Jamaica Street
Nearest Underground is St Enoch.
Just before Central Station, turn left into Jamaica Street and on the corner with Midland Street is one of the citys most stunning buildings, the former Gardners Warehouse, which was modelled on the Crystal Palace in London and is now a vast pub of the same name. Known as The Iron Building it has variously been described by architectural experts as one of the great landmarks of Western architectural history and one of the most remarkable cast-iron warehouses of its date anywhere in Britain. It certainly matches anything in the Cast Iron district of New Yorks Soho.
Opposite the Crystal Palace pub is MacSorleys Bar, named after the famous Phillip MacSorleys bar in New York that was owned by the man himself. He imported one of his barmen to run the Glasgow version.
Union Street
Nearest Underground is St Enoch.
Head back up Jamaica Street, cross Argyle Street into Union Street and on the right youll see the magnificent Egyptian Halls (1871-73), a stunning piece of architectural brilliance from Glasgows somewhat overlooked genius, Alexander Greek Thomson. The fact that this masterpiece lies empty and unused is surely bordering on criminal negligence.
At the top of Union Street, on the corner with Gordon Street, is another of the city centres great cast-iron buildings the Ca dOro, designed by James Honeyman in 1872 and modelled on the famous Golden House in Venice. It was originally built as a furniture warehouse and the unusual name comes from a restaurant once housed inside. The building was badly damaged by fire in 1987 but has since been reconstructed in its original form.
Only a few yards away, at 20-26 Renfield La, is one of Charles Rennie Mackintoshs lesser-known designs, the former Daily Record building (1901), which can only be viewed from outside.
The Lighthouse
11 Mitchell La, T 0141-221 6362, http://www.thelighthouse.co.uk. Mon, Wed, Fri and Sat 1030-1700, Tues 1100-1700, Thu 1030-1700, Sun 1200-1700. £3. £1.50 concession.
If you head east on Gordon Street and turn into Mitchell Lane you will find The Lighthouse another of Glasgows architectural beauties. It was designed by the ubiquitous Charles Rennie Mackintosh in 1893 to house the offices of the Glasgow Herald. The Herald vacated the premises in 1980 and it lay empty, until its recent transformation into Scotlands Centre for Architecture, Design and the City, a permanent legacy of the Glasgows role as UK City of Architecture and Design in 1999.
The Lighthouse offers a programme of lively temporary exhibitions associated with architecture and design. Situated in the original part of the building is The Mack Room, or Mackintosh Interpretation Centre, on the third floor, which features original designs and information on the life and work of the great architect. There are interactive displays telling the story of his life and scale models of his works. From this gallery you can ascend the Mackintosh Viewing Tower. Reached by a 135-step spiral staircase, it was part of the original building and offers unbeatable, panoramic views of the city. There are workshops, seminars and events, including a number of activities based on Mackintosh and the Glasgow Style, and specialized tours of the building. Theres also a shop and café on the fifth floor and another café on the ground floor.
Buchanan Street and around
Nearest Underground is Buchanan St.
Running north from Argyle Street to Sauchiehall Street is Buchanan Street, perhaps Glasgows finest street, as much for its variety of retail outlets as for its architectural importance. A short walk north on Buchanan Street is Princes Square, one of the most stylish and imaginative shopping malls in Britain. Even if youre not buying or looking, its worth going in to admire this beautifully ornate art nouveau creation, or to sit in the Zinc bar and watch others spend their hard-earned cash in the designer clothes shops below. A little further north, on the opposite side of the street, is a branch of the famous Willow Tea Rooms with replicas of Mackintosh designs. Almost opposite is a Borders bookshop, housed in the huge and impressive former Royal Bank of Scotland, which backs onto Royal Exchange Square.
Buchanan Street continues north, crossing St Vincent Street, to reach Nelson Mandela place which is completely filled by the baroque splendour of St Georges Tron Church, the oldest church in the city centre, designed in 1808 by William Stark. Opposite is the Stock Exchange, designed in French Gothic style by John Burnet Senior in 1875. A short walk further north, close to Buchanan Street Underground station, is the Athenaeum, designed in 1886 by JJ Burnet and showing early signs of his later modernism.
St Vincent Street
Nearest Underground is Buchanan St.
Running west from George Square, between Argyle Street and Sauchiehall Street, is St Vincent Street, where at No 142, youll find one of the citys most unusual buildings The Hatrack. Designed in 1902 by James Salmon II, its 10 storeys high but only 9 m wide. It gets its name from the series of projecting finials which once surmounted it and made the building look like an old hatstand.
Further along St Vincent Street, near the intersection with Pitt Street, is one of the jewels in Glasgows architectural crown, the St Vincent Street Church, designed in 1859 by Alexander Greek Thomson, the citys unknown genius of architecture. It is described by many architectural commentators as one of the most important 19th century buildings in Europe. The Presbyterian church is fronted by Ionic columns like those of a Greek temple and the church also shows Egyptian and Assyrian decoration. The main tower is Grecian in style, while the dome could have come straight out of India during the Raj. Thomsons other ecclesiastical designs were destroyed by German bombs and local vandals. This, his only church that still remains intact, is now on the World Monument Funds list of the 100 most endangered sites, for the second time. Its owners, the city council, have come under withering criticism for their apparent inaction in the face of the buildings continuing deterioration. The church is not open to the public other than during services (Sun at 1100 and 1830). For more details, try writing to the Alexander Thomson Society, 1 Moray Pl, Glasgow G41 2AQ or phone on T 0141-221 1937.
Around Blythswood Square
10 mins' walk from Blythswood Sq.
Climbing north from St Vincent Street, heading towards Sauchiehall Street, is the grid pattern of streets which composed Glasgows second New Town (the first being the Merchant City). Built in the first decades of the 19th century, the plan was drawn up by James Craig, coincidentally the name of the architect of Edinburghs New Town. But though there are similarities between the two designs, there is no conclusive proof that it was the same person. The plan was modified by architect James Gillespie Graham and followed the principles of the simplicity of the late Georgian period. Over the years the requirements of first Victorian commerce and then 20th century development have intruded on the original look, though Blythswood Square still hints at the areas original classical beauty.
Worth noting is the door at 5 Blythswood Sq, designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh for the former Glasgow Society of Lady Artists Club in 1908.
Sauchiehall Street
Buchanan St Underground for East end, St George's Cross for West end.
Further north is Sauchiehall Street, another of the citys main shopping thoroughfares. If theres one thing Glaswegians like to do its spend money and Glasgow is second only to London in the UK in terms of retail spending. The newest of the citys shopping centres is the upmarket Buchanan Galleries , next door to the Royal Concert Hall, at the east end of Sauchiehall Street, where it meets the north end of Buchanan Street.
There are a few notable places of interest on Sauchiehall Street, including Charles Rennie Mackintoshs Willow Tea Rooms, at No 217, above Hendersons the Jewellers. This is a faithful reconstruction on the site of the original 1903 tearoom, designed by Mackintosh for his patron Miss Kate Cranston, who already ran three fashionable tearooms, in Argyle Street, Buchanan Street and Ingram Street. The tearoom was very much peculiar to Glasgow, promoted by the Temperance Movement as a healthy alternative to the gin palaces, popular throughout the country in the late 19th century, and Miss Cranstons were the crème de la crème of tearooms. They offered ladies-only rooms, rooms for gentlemen and rooms where both sexes could dine together.
Mackintosh had already worked with Miss Cranston on her other tearooms, but Sauchiehall Street was their tour de force. Sauchiehall means alley of the willows and this theme was reflected not only in the name, but throughout the interior. Mackintosh was allowed free rein to design the fixtures and fittings; everything, in fact, right down to the teaspoons. The exclusive Salon de Luxe, on the first floor, was the crowning glory, and the most exotic and ambitious part of the tea rooms, decorated in purple, silver and white, with silk and velvet upholstery. Visitors today can relive the splendour of the original tea rooms as they relax in the high-backed chairs with a cup of tea.
A few yards west, on the opposite side of the street, are the McLellan Galleries (T 565 4137, http://www.glasgowmuseums.com">http://www.glasgowmuseums.com, Mon-Thu and Sat 1000-17000, Fri and Sun 1100-1700, free), another fine example of classical architecture. While Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum is closed for refurbishment (until early 2006) these galleries are hosting a display of the most important artworks from the collection. These include Botticellis Annunciation, Giorgiones The Adultress Brought Before Christ and Rembrandts Man in Armour. There are also outstanding examples of French Impressionism, Post-Impressionism and Dutch schools, including works by Degas, Monet, Turner, Bonnard, Pissaro, Vuillard, Braque and Derain. There are also excellent works by many of Scotlands finest artists, including, Sir Henry Raeburn, Horatio McCulloch and Alexander Naysmith. The Glasgow Boys are also well represented, with works by George Henry, Joseph Crawhall, Sir James Guthrie and Sir John Lavery.
Further west on Sauchiehall Street, on the north side, is the Centre for Contemporary Arts (CCA) (T 332 7521, http://www.cca-glasgow.com, centre open Mon-Sat 0900-2400, Sun 1200-1900, galleries Mon-Sat 1100-1800, Sun 1200-1700, free), housed in the Grecian Buildings, a former commercial warehouse designed by Alexander Greek Thomson in 1867-68. The centre presents a changing programme of contemporary theatre, dance and other cultural events. On the ground floor is the excellent Tempus at the CCA café-bar and upstairs is the CCA Bar . Theres also a shop on the ground floor.
A block further west is Baird Hall, built in 1938 as the Beresford Hotel for the Empire Exhibition, now part of Strathclyde University and the citys finest example of 1930s architecture. A short distance west, at 518 Sauchiehall Street, is the Royal Highland Fusiliers Museum (T 332 0961, Mon-Fri 0830-1600, free), which details the history of the three regiments from 1678 to the present day. There are medals, uniforms, weapons and musical instruments as well as a wealth of other artefacts on show.
Glasgow School of Art
167 Renfrew St, T 0141-353 4526, http://www.gsa.ac.uk. Tour times Oct-Jun Mon-Fri at 1100 and 1400, Sat 1030 and 1130; Jul-Sep Mon-Fri 1100 and 1400, Sat/Sun 1030, 1130 and 1300. Closed late Jun for graduation and from Christmas through to New Year. £5, £4 students. Booking is advised. For more information on Charles Rennie Mackintosh and his work, contact the CRM Society, at Queens Cross Church .
A very steep walk up from Sauchiehall Street is the Glasgow School of Art, the citys seminal architectural masterpiece and one of the most prestigious art schools in the country. The building was designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh, after his proposal won a competition set in 1896 to find a design for the school. It was built in two stages from 1897-1899 and completed in 1907. The school is now regarded as Mackintoshs architectural masterpiece and gives full expression to his architectural ideals: the brilliant use of Scottish vernacular forms and the imaginative and minute interior details which are subtly mirrored in the exterior of the building. Much of the inspiration for his design came from nature and from his drawings of traditional Scottish buildings. He was also influenced by the art nouveau style, particularly the illustrations of Aubrey Beardsley.
The building is rooted in tradition with medieval, castle-like fea
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