THE
POPPULAR CITY IN EUROPE
GLASGOW
MANCHESTER
FLORENCE
LIVERPOOL
MILAN
OXFORD
VENICE
GLASGOW
Glasgow
Travel Guide
During the past few decades Glasgow, the UK's fourth largest city,
has re-invented itself from a rather economically depressed post-war industrial
centre to a modern metropolis with a thriving art and culture scene, which has
earned it accolades like the "European City of Culture" title in 1990 and "City
of Architecture" in 1999.
In days of yore Glasgow depended on shipbuilding
and engineering for its wealth; the city fell into decline in the mid-20th
century with poverty and unemployment rife. Prosperity has returned, riding on
the back of 21st century technology, and it is the hub of Scottish film,
theatre, writing, music and design which has captured worldwide
attention.
The city has more than 20 galleries and museums to complement the
architectural heritage of architects like Alexander Thomson, renowned for his
classical designs, and Charles Rennie Mackintosh, master of art nouveau.
The
youthful, progressive atmosphere of the reborn Glasgow is encouraged by its
large student population, spawned by four universities and several colleges, and
reflected in the numerous lively restaurants, pubs and attractive shopping
precincts.
Tourists find plenty to see and do in this city on the River
Clyde, and can also use it as a base to explore the surrounding countryside that
boasts some of Scotland's most scenic mountains, glens, lochs and
coastline.
Gallery of Modern Art
Located in a former Grecian style
mansion in the heart of the city, near George Square and Buchanan Street, the
Gallery of Modern Art displays Glasgow's extraordinary range of post-war art and
design. Glasgow’s most recent gallery, it was opened in 1996 and includes works
by Niki de Saint Phalle, David Hockney, Sebastiao Salgado, Andy Warhol and
Eduard Bersudsky as well as Scottish artists such as John Bellany and Ken
Curry.
Glasgow
Attractions
Burrell Collection
Glasgow's top cultural attraction was
donated by the shipping magnate Sir William Burrell in 1944. Over his lifetime
he amassed more than 8,000 works of art, 3,000 of which are displayed at any one
time. The collection includes hundreds of sculptures, drawings and paintings
from the 15th to 20th centuries, some notable medieval European tapestries, as
well as artefacts from Arabia and the Orient. The collection is housed in an
ugly, purpose-built building set in the sedate surroundings of Pollok Country
Park. Within walking distance is Pollok House, which contains a fine collection
of Spanish paintings including works by Goya, Murillo and El Greco. The
Edwardian house is the ancestral home of the Maxwell family, who donated the
house and the collection to the National Trust in 1966.
Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum
Glasgow's principal
art gallery and museum, the Kelvingrove is one of Scotland's most popular free
attractions. This imposing red sandstone building, opened in 1901, houses a
superb collection of paintings by, among others, Botticelli, Rembrandt, Monet,
Van Gogh and Picasso as well as an impressive display of European armour,
military weapons and prehistoric relics. The main attraction is a room dedicated
to the works of the 19th-century architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh who studied
at the Glasgow School of Art and designed many of the city's great Art Nouveau
buildings.
OTHER
EUROPE
THE GREAT
CITY