GLASGOW
, Scotland’s largest city built its wealth in the 18th
century through the tobacco, sugar and cotton trade. With its
Victorian skyline, red sandstone buildings, beautiful architecture
and very friendly Glaswegians it should be on your list of places
to visit. Charles Rennie Mackintosh, one of the well known architects
and creative designers has to be credited with the Glasgow School
of Art and the Willow Tearoom whilst Alexander Thomson displays
his architectural feats in the West End and South Side. There
is a plethora of museums and galleries, 20 in all, Pollock House
with the well known and unique Burrell Collection containing
more than 8000 exhibits ranging from works from Rodin and Degas.
The Gallery
of Modern Art is located in the former home of a wealthy tobacco
dealer. The Lighthouse, Scotland’s Centre for Architecture
& Design, offers interesting exhibitions with conference
facilities. Visit the People’s Palace, the story of Glasgow
from 1750 to present day, the Glasgow Science Centre with its
120 seat planetarium and 100m rotating Glasgow Tower and Scotland’s
only IMAX Theatre. For the football fans the Scottish Football
Museum and a tour of Hampden Park.
The name
Glasgow is derived from the Gaelic “Ghlaschu” which
means “dear green place” and with the number of gardens
and parks situated in and around Glasgow you can understand
why. The glass houses of the Botanic Gardens containing fabulous
collections of orchids and other tropical plants whilst Pollock
Park has superb gardens and woodland combined with the Burrell
Collection housed in Pollock House. The Museum of Transport
has a fine selection of trains, trams, buses and vintage cars
whilst across the road at the Art Gallery & Museum, Kelvingrove
the mummies, elephants and dinosaurs delight all the family.
