Glasgow Accommodation

George Square, Glasgow

Glasgow School of Art, Charles Rennie Mackintosh

Kibble Palace, Glasgow Botanic Gardens

Victoriana - Kelvingrove

Glasgow Architecture, The Lighthouse Glasgow, Merchant City

Glasgow makes the most of its astounding architecture, much of which is Victorian, and many important buildings now house museums. Almost everywhere you look there's an architectural gem. Did you know that the distinctive grid layout of Glasgow city centre is similar to that of New York's and indeed had influence there.

George Square in the centre, so named as a dedication to George III was constructed in 1781 and was initially lined with hotels. Its function shifted from the 1850s when it served as Victorian administrative hub for Merchant City. An 80 ft column statue of Sir Walter Scott is here, plus Merchants' House dating from 1874 and Glasgow Tourist information which is housed in the old post office (1876). Note too the neoclassical exterior of the Glasgow City Chambers, with Italian Renaissance styled interior. George Square was the scene of riots in January of 1919 when thousands of workers in shipbuilding, mining and engineering were on strike, with strong support from young Glaswegians and the community. Their demand was a 40 hour week.

Glasgow Architecture - Glasgow City Centre, Merchant City & the Lighthouse

The historic Merchant City area of Glasgow around Central Station has recently seen a bit of a boom - it's a hotspot now for contemporary designer shops, chic bars, theatres and restaurants (see Merchant City weblink right for listings and information - various Merchant City guides are available to download, including historic sefl guided walking leaflets, via this weblink). Warehouses and 18th century Merchant Houses have been revamped. Note the street names like Virginia Street and Jamaica Street which echo this area's past as a hub for trade and a Merchant powerhouse. Glasgow Cathedral, St Mungo Museum, The Merchants House and Martyrs' School are historic sights and museums near or in the area.

Just to the South West of George Square sits Scotland's centre for Architecture and Design, The Lighthouse. (11 Mitchell Lane). The building dates from 1895 and was designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh to initially house the offices of the Glasgow Herald. In 1999, Glasgow's year as city of Architecture and Design, it was redesigned by architects Page and Page.

Move inside the Lighthouse, one of the largest exhibition centres for architecture and design in Europe, to view constantly changing exihibitions covering architecture and design in the home, in history, product design, industry, manufacturing, health, rural and urban regeneration and sustainability.

Always permanently here is the Mackintosh Interpretation Centre for all things Charles Rennie Mackintosh including photographs, models, video and computer simulated Mackintosh designs. Head up to the viewing platform and Lighthouse Tower to appreciate splendid views of Glasgow. (see the Lighthouse weblink right for more details).

More Glasgow Art Galleries & Glasgow Architecture

One notable designer name pertaining to Glasgow (that you don't hear too much of these days) is Alexander Thomson. He was rather better known the the second half of the 19th century during Glasgow's Victorian hey day. His style couldn't have been more different than Mackintosh's. Thomson borrowed from Greek architecture with dashes of the Classical and Eastern. He worked on everything from churches to tenement blocks to everyday houses. Two particular sites in designed by him in Glasgow worth seeking out are St Vincent Street Church and Homwood House (see weblinks right for details). St Vincent Street - Milton Free Church (Designer Alexander 'Greek' Thomson), 265 St Vincent Street, City of Glasgow, G2. Holmwood House, 61-63 Netherlee Road, Glasgow, Greater Glasgow & Clyde Valley, G44 3YG. Tel. 0844 4932204.) Holmwood is run and being renovated by the National Trust for Scotland.

The Collins Art Gallery sits within the University of Strathclyde complex and is just a 5 minute stroll from Glasgow city centre. The fine art collection here contains over 1000 paintings, prints and drawings, most of which are British, with around 400 works by Scottish artists. Scotland's Textile Heritage is particularly well represented here. Collins Gallery, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, G1 1XQ. Tel. International 00 44 141 548 2558 (0141 548 2558).

The Gallery of Religious Art at St Mungo Museum in central Glasgow (near Glasgow Cathedral) holds some superb pieces of religious art. Outside the museum is an authentic Buddhist Zen Garden. St Mungo Museum of Religious Life and Art, 2 Castle Street, Glasgow, G4 0RH. Tel.0141 553 2557. (see Glasgow Museums weblink right for more information).

Looking for the unusual? Head for the Sharmanka Kinetic Gallery now located in its new home on Osborne Street (see Sharmank weblink right for details). A hidden gem in Glasgow, Sharmanka is Russian for hurdy-gurdy, and as an artform it's relatively new, developed in 1989 by sculptor-mechanic Eduard Bersudsky and theatre director Tatyana Jakovskaya who herald from Russia's St Petersburg. Both haunting and endearing simultaneously sculpted figures move repetitively to backgrond music. The film Metropolis (and the daily tedious grind of monotonous work that many endure today) comes to mind - it's unmissible this one, with special performances running through the day. Check the Sharmanka weblink right for details.

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