Glasgow - Glasgow

Disambiguation - For toponyms of identical name, see Glasgow (disambiguation).

Glasgow is a city belonging to Central belt of the Scotland.

To know

First city of the Scotland and fourth of UK by population, Glasgow is very close to Edinburgh (65 km) but it is the polar opposite for mentality and lifestyle. Although Glasgow has ancient origins (the university was founded there in 1451), it continued to be of secondary importance to Edinburgh. Its port gained momentum thanks to trade with the 13 American colonies but it was only with the advent of the Industrial Revolution that its progress became unstoppable. Glasgow first devoted itself to the textile industry and then to the heavy one with steel mills and shipyards that produced ocean liners of the caliber of Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth. Its skies turned black from the smoke of the many chimneys and its center was covered with opulent Victorian-style mansions, although huge ghettos for workers spread like wildfire to encompass the neighboring villages of Ardrie, Renfrew, Rutherglen and Paisley. All this feverish activity belongs to the past and has been relegated to the museums visited by those interested in retracing the social history of the city. Today Glasgow offers its visitors an interesting range of cultural activities and an equally varied nightlife.

When to go

Summer is of course a good time to visit but it must be borne in mind that between July and August Glasgow looks dull like any other European city. If this pleases a few, it will displease most and especially the night owls who will find the sign closed for holidays posted on theaters and clubs. Keep in mind that as soon as you step outside Glasgow, a full house and higher prices await you.

It should also be borne in mind that hotel prices skyrocket even during the Christmas and Easter holidays and in conjunction with some of the most popular festivals listed below.

As far as the climate is concerned this is quite fickle like everywhere in the Scotland. Mists and drizzle in the morning are not rare even in summer but in the afternoons the sun almost always shines.

Thanks to the Gulf Stream, winter is not as harsh as latitude might suggest, but from the point of view of an Italian who does not live in an Alpine valley this will seem freezing as soon as he puts his nose outside and it will take him a few day before adapting. Snowfalls are frequent but snow rarely takes root on the ground. Rather it is the cold winds, when they blow, that cause annoyance. The day is short but you can choose from a thousand entertainments.

How to orient yourself

The center of Glasgow has a checkerboard layout so it is not difficult to find your way around. The description of the neighborhoods provided in the next section helps in this regard.

1. Central areas

City Center

The center of Glasgow proper is located on the north (or right) bank of the River Clyde. Its eastern limit is marked by the High street, north and west from the final stretch of the M-8 motorway from Edinburgh.

One of the main arteries in the center is Buchanan Street opened in 1777 and named after the then owner of the land, the tobacco tycoon Andrew Buchanan. The artery starts from St Enoch square at the metro stop of the same name and points north ending at the Royal Concert Hall. Buchanan Street is a famous shopping street that was transformed into a pedestrian zone in 1975. In its first stretch it leaves on the left (back to the river) the central train station, then crosses the St. Vincent square and the homonymous street that flows into the east side George Square, a monumental square dominated by the City Chambers and considered the center of Glasgow.

In its middle section Buchanan Street crosses Nelson Mandela Place with St. George's Tron Church to the left and to the right the 1875 Stock Exchange building, now home to the modern art gallery. The street ends at Buchanan Galleries shopping center and the Royal Concert Hall, a 1990 structure criticized by all for its ugliness.

Sauchiehall Street, the way of the willow fields (from the crasis of the Scottish words "" saugh "= willow and" haugh "= pasture) is another famous Glasgow street. It begins at the Royal Concert Hall where it joins at a right angle to Buchanan Street and then runs east-west to the route of the M8 motorway. It continues further for a couple of kilometers in the West end where it rejoins the Argyl street. The stretch that runs through the city center features notable examples of art deco, first of all the Willow Tea Rooms, a tea room designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh. On the street is the Glasgow Film Theater, a popular film club.

Merchant City

Merchant City - Often compared to Covent Garden's London, Merchant City is the neighborhood at the back of the "City Chambers" building overlooking central George square. Trongate is High street are its main arteries. The upper section of the High sreet, little frequented, is called Castle street and leads to Headtown, the cathedral district. Its lower section takes the name of Saltmarket and leads to that point of the river which, before the construction of the bridges, could have been easily forded. To the right of the Saltmarket (back to the river) is St Andrew square with the church of the same name, a faithful copy of St-Martin-in-the-Field by London. The church has been deconsecrated and today there are ballets and traditional Scottish music concerts.

Merchant City corresponds to the original core of the city. However, you will not find any medieval evidence there. Everything was demolished in the name of urban renewal since the days of the industrial revolution so today the area is in no way different from the adjacent city center. One of its oldest monuments is "Tolbooth Steeple", the clock tower from 1626, the only survivor of the old town hall (City Chambers) devoured by flames in 1926. During the 19th century Merchant City lost many of its inhabitants attracted by the new neighborhoods that were being built in the West End and remained an area of ​​markets and warehouses until about 1990, when a turnaround: attracted by the lower rents than elsewhere, artists and students chose it as their place of residence by occupying lofts obtained from old warehouses. A bit like SoHo of Manhattan Merchant City appears to be a revalued district, with various shopping opportunities and equally varied entertainment opportunities, especially at night. Among the shopping centers, the "Italian Center" stands out with clothes designed by Italian designers. There are two famous theaters, "Troon" and "Ramshorn". The old covered markets (City Halls), have been renovated and adapted to an auditorium where renowned rock and pop bands perform. The spaces of the old cheese market instead host restaurants and night clubs.

Merchant City is a modern term coined in the late 1980s. Previously the area was known as Trongate. The tron ​​is a Scottish term derived from medieval French and meant a device that was used to weigh goods and then determine the amount of the duty. It consisted of two architraves placed one above the other to form a cross and supported in the center by a wooden pillar. At their ends the bars had hooks to hook merchandise and counterweights. The steelyard was located where today stands the 17th century Tron church with its soaring clock tower. In 1980 the Tron theater was built there.

Townhead

Townhead - Going up the Castle street, continuing north of the High street you enter the Townhead district, gathered around the gothic cathedral dedicated to St. Mungo. Behind the cathedral is the hill with the monumental cemetery while walking along the Cathedral street Flanking the Strathclyde University campus stands "Provand's Lordship", one of Glasgow's oldest buildings that escaped the wrecking fury of the urban renewal of the 18th and 19th centuries. Provand's Lordship dates back to 1471.

East End

As in the case of London, Glasgow's East End was a poor area, mostly inhabited by workers. The East End still struggles to revalue itself. Its main access route is Gallowgate which branches off from High Street at Glasgow Cross, the intersection marked by the 1626 clock tower. On Saturdays and Sundays a renowned flea market takes place in Gallowgate. On the same street there is "Barrowland", a famous place where rock and pop bands perform. On the riverside there is Glasgow Green, the oldest city park, a place of demonstrations and protests for the whole 800 of workers and suffragettes for the acquisition of civil and political rights.

West End

Divided from the City Center by the route of the M8, West End dates largely from the Victorian era and, like its correspondent Londoner, was and still is an area of ​​high-rise neighborhoods surrounded by greenery. Woodlands covers the slopes of the hill on the top of which is the house of Italy in a panoramic position on the park of Kelvingrove is the mammoth museum of the same name. Along the river lies the neighborhood of Finnieston with the Scottish Exhibition Center and the Riverside Museum which opened in June 2011. Further west is the neighborhood of Hillhead with the University of Glasgow campus and the Hunterian museum. The busiest street in the West End is Byres Road, full of renowned restaurants and clubs frequented by students. Further north are the districts of Hyndland and Dowanhill inhabited by members of the upper class and with a few luxury hotels.

Southside

Neighborhoods on the south bank of the River Clyde are considered part of the center. We mention them briefly below:

Gorbals - The south bank of the River Clyde includes the district of Gorbals, a working-class neighborhood in the 1800s whose houses were largely demolished from 1960 onwards to make way for tall condominiums which in turn proved unhealthy due to the presence of asbestos and it was decided to kill it. In the late 1800s, many immigrants fromIreland and fromItaly as well as Greeks and Askenazy Jews, all attracted by the possibility of working in the nearby shipyards. Until 1980 the area had a bad reputation and no one dared to put their nose in it because of the gangs of criminals who competed for the territory. Today things have changed and the neighborhood has a more human aspect. The Citizen theater, one of the most renowned in Glasgow, is located at 119 Gorbals Street and the "New Bedford Cinema" in Eglinton Street, an interesting example of Art Deco that has now changed its destination: no longer a cinema welcomes the entertainment venue "O2. Academy Glasgow ".

Pacific Quay - The most interesting area for those visiting Glasgow as some of Glasgow's major tourist attractions are located there, such as the Science Center and the Riverside Museum opened in June 2011. There is also the Media Village Scotland, one of the largest television studios in the world. Europe is at the forefront of image digitization.

Govan - The district to the west is that of Govan which once housed shipyards where the workers of Gorbals worked. Today Govan is dilapidated but the adjacent area of ​​Pacific Quay has undergone an extraordinary renovation as has the opposite bank. It is home to the Glasgow Science Center, the Riverside Museum and the BBC studios.

How to get

By plane

Glasgow has two airports:

1. Glasgow International Airport is approximately 15km west of the city center
2. Glasgow Prestwick airport [1] it is on the coast about sixty kilometers from the center. Ryanair operates there. The airport has its own railway station where trains from Ayr is Stranraer and headed to Glasgow Central. The X77 shuttle bus also runs when trains stop running (late in the evening and early in the morning but not at night).

On the train

Glasgow has two train stations both in the center and quite close together:

1. Central station - Most trains, including those coming from London (King's Cross and Euston stations).
2. Queen St station - With less traffic, trains arriving from Inverness that pass through Perth is Stirling plus those from Aberdeen is Dundee

For timetables, consult the website of First ScotRail

By bus

The suburban bus terminus is Buchanan Street which also enters the pedestrian precinct of Killermont Street (a couple of blocks north of Queen Street train station).

If you need to travel to Glasgow from some other location in the UK, you can use the following bus lines:

• Scottish Citylink
• Megabus

How to get around

By public transport

Glasgow has a circular underground line that serves all the central districts on both sides of the River Clyde. To reach outer districts and suburbs you can use the suburban trains which stop at stations often at metro stops. An extensive bus network can also be used.

The coordinating body of public transport is SPT (Strathclyde Partnership for Transport). You can choose from a variety of tickets valid for 24 hours:

the "Discovery" ticket allows you to use all means, however, outside peak hours on weekdays

The "Roundabout" has no such limitations and costs a little more. Both tickets allow you to push yourself quite far from the center by suburban trains.

The "Day Tripper" allows you to use all trains within the territorial limits of Strathclyde. It can be good if you think you can do two different excursions in one day, departing and returning to Glasgow in the same day. You will certainly undergo a tour de force. In addition to the individual ticket, there are cumulative versions for families (1 adult and two children, two adults and four children, etc.) The day tripper is not always valid to get on the local buses of the chosen destination.

If you plan to stay in Glasgow for a week or more, you may find it convenient to purchase a card of the same duration as your stay. Keep in mind that the cards are divided into zones like certain regional tickets in Italy and you will need to specify them at the time of purchase.

With guided tours

• City Sightseeing, George Square, ☎ 44 141 204 0444. The agency's coaches make 22 stops at Glasgow's major attractions. You are free to get off and get back on the next bus but if you are picky you will not be able to see everything in a single day so you might consider buying a combined ticket (pass) for two or more days. The first bus leaves at 09:30, the last at 17:00. The frequency is 20 minutes in the period from April to October, 30 'in the rest of the year. 

What see

1. Central areas

City Center

• City Chambers, George Square, ☎ 44 141 287 4018. Free admission. Inaugurated in August 1888 with a ceremony attended by Queen Victoria, the palace is the seat of the municipal council. The façade is typical of the eclecticism of the end of the 19th century and mixes neoclassical and baroque elements. Alabaster and tons of marble and granite were used to decorate the interior. The council chamber is one of the most eye-catching ones. The seats of the 79 councilors are arranged in a hemicycle opposite that of the mayor (Lord Provost). Another hall that arouses admiration is the large "Banqueting Hall". In fact, it measures 33.5 m. x 16. The coffered ceiling is 15 m high. These rooms are generally open only to those who book guided tours by calling the number indicated above 

• The Lighthouse, 11 Mitchell Lane. Lighthouse is an 1895 building designed by the Honeyman & Keppie studio where Charles Rennie Mackintosh worked as an apprentice. It is allowed to climb to the top of the Mackintosh Tower which stands on the north side of the building for one of the best views of Glasgow. It can be reached via a spiral staircase which starts on the third floor. On the opposite side an elevator leads to the terrace with just as many magnificent views over the city center. 
• The Egyptian Halls, 84–100 Union Street. If you happen to take the Union Street that flanks the central station, you will certainly notice this dilapidated building. These are "Egyptian Halls" built in 1870 to a design by Alexander Thomson, the architect nicknamed the 'Greek' for his creations inspired by Greek and Oriental art in general. Thomson was very proud of his work as evidenced by his writings. The building is uninhabited and only the shops on the ground floor are open. The urgently needed restoration is an extremely expensive operation and it is difficult to raise funds. Egyptian Halls risks demolition. 
• The Central Hotel. Located opposite the central station, the Central Hotel is a palace from 1883, extended in the early 19th century. Its designer was the architect Robert Rowand Anderson who also took care of the furnishings. In its best days, the Central Hotel welcomed celebrities from Winston Churchill to Frank Sinatra to its suites. The owner was British Rail which got rid of it in 1980. In 2000 revelations that the structure contained asbestos led to a temporary closure of the hotel. 
• St. Vincent Street Free Church, 265 St. Vincent St. From 1859, the church is the work of Alexander Thomson known as "the Greek". The temple has a portico with Ionic columns. It belongs to the Evangelical Reformed Church of Scotland whose priests are ill-disposed towards tourists who want to browse inside. 

• The Willow Tearooms, 217, Sauchiehall Street. A famous art deco tearoom, Willow Tearoom is the work of Charles Rennie Mackintosh. The architect was commissioned by her friend Kate Cranston, then owner of a chain of luxurious tea rooms in Glasgow. Later Willow Tearooms changed owners several times and each made changes to adapt it to their business to the point that the original project was unrecognizable and only the external facade remained unchanged. However, in 1983 the new owner opened the premises again as a tea room, also providing for the reconstruction of some rooms such as the "Room de Luxe" and furnishing it with reproductions of the high chairs designed by Mackintosh. 

• Glasgow's Center for Contemporary Art (CCA), 350, Sauchiehall Street (Corner Scott street), ☎ 44 141 352 4900. Inaugurated in 1992, the center is an art gallery with spaces reserved for theatrical performances and film screenings. It is based in an 1868 villa designed by Alexander Thomson 

• Glasgow School of Art (GSA) *** (The Mackintosh Building), 167, Renfrew Street (Cowcaddens metro stop). Guided tours only. Glasgow School of Art was built in two phases at the turn of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries to a design by Charles Rennie Mackintosh who had attended its courses together with Margaret MacDonald who became his wife in 1902. The school is still in operation and its courses are attended. by 2,000 students, 20% of whom come from abroad (del UK). The school of architecture bears the name of Mackintosh, the most famous of the students. To visit all the buildings of the GSA it is necessary to participate in a guided tour. The only spaces open to individual visitors are those of the Mackintosh Building with the classrooms of the painting course and the gallery of the same name where temporary exhibitions with works by the students are set up. Opposite is the Newbery Tower with the goldsmith workshops and next to it the assembly building. There are other buildings around but the most interesting is that of the library 

• McLellan Galleries, Sauchiehall Street, ☎ 44 141 565 4137. Open M-Th, Sa 10:00 AM-5:00PM; F, Su 11:00 AM-5:00PM. The galleries belong to the nearby Glasgow School of Art which puts on temporary exhibitions there when the Mackintosh Building is busy. 
• Tenement House, 145 Buccleuch St (Cowcaddens). A house from the early 1900s preserved as it was in the smallest details from the furnishings to the photo albums. The lighting is also the original one with gas-powered chandeliers. 
• Mitchell Library. The library was built thanks to the bequest of a tobacco industrialist Stephen Mitchell. 

Headtown

14Provand's Lordship. Erected in 1471, Provand's Lordship is, after the nearby cathedral, the oldest building in Glasgow that has survived unscathed to this day. It was part of the St Nicholas Hospital and was commissioned by Bishop Andrew Muirhead whose coat of arms still stands out on the outside walls. In 1978 the building was donated to the municipality. Today it is a museum displaying 17th century furniture and furnishings donated by Sir William Burrell, the same who donated the collections exhibited in the south bank museum that bears his name. 

15St Mungo Museum of Religious Life and Art, Castle St (On the side of the cathedral). The museum exhibits objects from the most disparate places with a central theme of the religions of the world 

16Glasgow Cathedral. Consecrated in 1136, St Mungo's Cathedral was destroyed by fire 56 years later and was rebuilt several times in the following centuries. The current church dates back to the 15th century and has Gothic shapes. Inside there is a sculptural relief depicting the 7 deadly sins. Interesting is the visit to the lower church of 1200 which is accessed by a staircase at the height of the pulpit. Preserve the crypt of St Mungo, the patron saint of Glasgow and a pilgrimage destination during the Middle Ages. 

17Glasgow Necropolis. Located on the low rise behind the cathedral, Glasgow Necropolis is a monumental Victorian cemetery built on the example of that of Père Lachaise in Paris. The main entrance is reached by crossing a bridge dating back to 1833 called the "bridge of sighs" as it is crossed by funeral processions. On the top of the hill the statue of John Knox was placed. Many tombs were built by famous architects of the time 

18Martyrs' Public School, Parson Street. In 1898, the building was one of the first projects of Charles Rennie Mackintosh, who at the time worked at the "Honeyman and Keppie" studio which was commissioned by the competent body (School Board of Glasgow). It is a red sandstone structure that refers to traditional Scottish architecture but with elements of Art Nouveau evident above all in the decorations of the doors. 

East End

• Glasgow Green (Nearest metro stop: St. Enoch). Located on the north (or right) bank of the River Clyde, Glasgow Green boasts the title of the city's oldest park. The lands were in fact donated by royal edict of 1451 to the bishop and the citizens of Glasgow. Its park layout, however, dates back to the 19th century. In 1806 the obelisk was erected in memory of Admiral Horatio Nelson, who died the previous year in battle against Napoleon. In 1855, the St. Andrew's Suspension Bridge was opened. In 1898 the People's Palace was built at the expense of the Earl of Rosebery to function as a cultural center for the citizens of the East End. The fountain in front of the palace, known as the Doulton Fountain from the name of the company that commissioned it, was erected in honor of Queen Victoria in 1888. It is 48 meters high and its basin has a diameter of 70 meters. At its peak is the life-size statue of the sovereign while the others located lower down are allegorical figures from the British colonies of the time, theAustralia, the South Africa, L'India and the Canada. Half destroyed by lightning in 1890, the fountain was restored in 2002 at a cost of £ 2 million. The year 1889 saw the opening of the Templeton carpet factory whose facade resembles that of the Doges' palace in Venice. A few months after its inauguration, part of the building collapsed, overwhelming 29 workers. An even greater number of victims was caused by a fire that broke out inside in 1900. The transformation of the factory into a luxury condominium with 143 apartments dates back to 2005. Another curiosity is the triumphal arch on the northwestern side of the park that of McLennan which once marked the entrance to the Assembly Rooms building demolished in 1890. It was rebuilt and placed on Charlotte

Street in 1922 and then dismantled again and placed in its present location in 1991. Glasgow Green is an integral part of Glasgow's history. Throughout the nineteenth century it was the site of demonstrations for the acquisition of political rights. It was also the favorite meeting place for the suffragettes who under the aegis of the "women's suffragette society" staged numerous demonstrations for the emancipation of women in the period between 1870 and 1910. In more recent times the park was the theater of exceptional musical events. In 1992 the singer Michael Jackson performed during his Dangerous "World Tour" and in 2004 the Scottish festival was held there with the participation of such big bands as Metallica and Linkin Park. 

West End

• Tall Ship, 100 Stobcross Road (Exhibition Center Train Station). Launched on December 3, 1896, Tall Ship is a 3-masted ship that with the original name of Glenlee circumnavidated the globe for the next 23 years. In 1919 it was bought by the shipping company "Società Di Navigazione Stella d'Italia" based in Genoa and renamed "Clarastella". The new owners equipped it with diesel engines. After just three years it passed into the hands of the "Escuela Naval Militar de Oficiales" of El Ferrol (Galicia) who adapted it to house his cadets. In 1981 it was brought to Seville with the idea of ​​making it a museum but the project did not go through. It was decided to dismantle it but it was saved at the last moment by the naval engineer Sir John Brown (1901-2000) who bought it at auction on behalf of the Clyde Maritime Trust. The ship was in poor condition and it was necessary to repair it so that it could face the crossing from Seville in Glasgow, his hometown. Restoration work was undertaken to bring it back to its original state and since 1993 it has been a museum. 

• Hunterian Art Gallery, 22 Hillhead St (Nearest tube station: Hillhead). Free admission. Paid for the Mackintosh House. The gallery displays paintings and drawings by James McNeill Whistler donated by his heirs from the University of Glasgow. There are exhibited works by Rembrandt and Rubens plus those of Scottish artists from the “Glasgow Boys” movement and the other so-called “Scottish Colourists” whose main representatives were Cadell and Fergusso. However, the main attraction is the wing of the building where the private home of Charles Rennie Mackintosh and his wife, the artist Margaret Macdonald, was reproduced. The furnishings of the original house were moved to these spaces before its demolition in the mid-1960s. 
• Hunterian Museum. Opened in 1807, the Hunterian is the oldest of Glasgow's museums. Its original core is made up of the collections donated by William Hunter, an 18th century physician. These are quite eclectic and range from dinosaur fossils to Roman-era coins. The museum includes an ethnographic section dedicated to Captain Cook's travels. It reopened its doors in June 2011 
• Botanic Gardens, Great Western Road (Nearest tube station: Hillhead). Free admission. While not bearing the comparison with those of Edinburgh, the botanical gardens of Glasgow are interesting for the large glass and iron greenhouses of the Victorian era, among which the one called "Kibble Palace" stands out. Tropical plants and flowers are grown here, especially orchids. The gardens extend to the banks of the Kelvin River 

• Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, Argyle Street (Kelvinhall Underground Station), ☎ 44 141 287 2699. Reopened on 11 July 2006 after restoration work lasting 3 years and with a ceremony attended by Queen Elizabeth II, the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum occupies the interiors of a magnificent palace in the Moorish and Spanish Baroque style created on the occasion of the International Exhibition. took place in Glasgow in 1901. Crossing the entrance in front of the park of the same name, you enter the sumptuous organ room with vaulted ceiling and coffered with chandeliers of the time. There are works by 17th-century Flemish artists and French impressionists on display. One of his most admired pieces is the "Christ of St. John of the Cross" by the surrealist Salvator Dalí. Other sections are dedicated to Scottish artists, from representatives of the "Glasgow Boys" movement to Mackintosh and the contemporary Joan Eardley. The museum also houses a huge weapons collection and a natural history section 
• House of Italy, 22, Park Circus. Located on the top of the "Park District" hill with magnificent views of the Kelvingrove Park below, the Casa d'Italia is a building from the second half of the 19th century designed by the architect Charles Wilson on behalf of the industrialist Walter Macfarlane, owner at the time. of a foundry. It was enlarged by his heirs at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries with magnificent staterooms decorated in the then fashionable Art Nouveau style and adorned with statues commissioned from the best sculptors of the time. The billiard room is spectacular with an entrance surmounted by a crystal dome. In 1934 it was bought by an Italian social club and after the war it became the seat of the Italian consulate in Glasgow. It was sold in 1990 and after careful restoration, it was rented to the municipality which used it as a registry office. Today civil marriages are celebrated there. 

South side

Pacific Quay

• Glasgow Science Center ***, 50 P50 Pacific Quay. Opened in 2001, the Glasgow Science Center is divided into three buildings with a titanium structure. It is an interactive center set up primarily to educate school-age children in an engaging way. To achieve its purpose, the center makes use of experimental laboratories, multimedia means such as projection rooms including an IMAX Theater. The most disparate videos are shown that illustrate the natural wonders, the secrets of space or the structure of the atom. The centerpiece of the center is a tower of 127 m. which rotates 360 °. 

Gorbals

• New Bedford Cinema (O2 Academy Glasgow), Eglinton Street (Gorbals area). Tra i migliori esempi di Art Deco presenti a Glasgow, il New Bedford Cinema fu realizzato nel 1932 su progetto dello studio "Lennox and McMath " [2]. Nel 2002 iniziatono i lavori di restauro commissionati dal nuovo proprietario, il McKenzie Group che adattò la vecchia sala cinematografica a locale con musica dal vivo. Riaprì i battenti l'anno seguente con il nome di "O2 Academy Glasgow". Un concerto dei Deacon Blue si svolse nella serata d'inaugurazione. 

Tradestone

• Scotland Street School Museum, 225, Scotland Street (A fianco della stazione metro di Shields Road). Il museo occupa gli spazi di un edificio scolastico realizzato tra il 1903 e il 1906 su progetto di Charles Rennie Mackintosh che si inspirò a castelli baronali scozzesi, in particolare al castello Rowallan nell'Ayrshire e al palazzo Falkland. L'edificio fu progettato per accogliere 1.250 studenti di Tradestone ma l'apertura nel 1970 dell'austostrada n° 8 comportò l'abbattimento di molti condomini e gli scolari si ridussero a 90. La scuola chiuse i battenti nel 1979. 

2. I quartieri esterni

South Glasgow

• Pollok Country Park (Stazione treni suburbani di Pollokshaws West). Annoverato tra i più spaziosi e simpatici parchi cittadini d'Europa, il Pollok Country Park ricopre un terreno collinare. Nel XIII secolo entrò a far parte dei feudi dei Maxwell che lo detennero fino al 1966, anno in cui un esponente del casato decise di donarlo al comune di Glasgow. Entro i suoi limiti sono situate due delle maggiori attrazioni della città, la Burrell Collection e la Pollok House 

• Burrell Collection ***, 2060 Pollokshaws Road (South Side 10 minuti a piedi dalla fermata metro di Pollokshaws West). Il museo ospita le collezioni private di William Burrell, un ricco armatore di Glasgow che per tutta la vita dai 14 fino ai 96 anni si dedicò con accanimento alla collezione degli oggetti più disparati: vasi cinesi, argenti, tele di pittori dell'800 e di avanguardia e finanche vetrate di chiese. Una sala del museo è la ricostruzione fedele del salone di ricevimento di "Hutton Castle", la residenza di campagna dell'armatore a Berwick-upon-Tweed. Il tutto non attende che di essere visitato dai comuni mortali. 

• Pollok House, Pollok Country Park, 2060 Pollokshaws Road. Free admission. Casa patrizia del 1752 commissionata dai Maxwell all'architetto William Adam. Fu donata nel 1966 da Anne Maxwell Macdonald insieme ai terreni circostanti al comune di Glasgow che provvide ad adibirla a museo. Gli arredi sono ovviamente sontuosi ma più che questi attraggono l'attenzione le tele esposte, che portano la firma di illustri artisti spagnoli: El Greco, Francisco Goya e Murillo. Dagli appartamenti destinati un tempo ad alloggio della servitù è stato ricavato un ristorante. 

• Bellahouston Park. Parco pubblico che ricomprende la collina Ibrox con viste panoramiche sul centro di Glasgow, Bellahouston faceva anch'esso parte dei feudi della famiglia Maxwell. Nel parco celebrarono messe due pontefici di Santa Romana Chiesa, papa Giovanni Paolo II nel giugno del 1982 che vide un afflusso di 250.000 persone, la più grande adunanza di popolo mai registrata negli annali della città e nel settembre del 2010 il suo successore Benedetto XVI che dovette accontentarsi di 70.000 persone. Nel parco si sono esibiti il complesso dei Coldplay nel 2005 e quello degli Snow Patrol nel 2010. All'interno del parco è collocata la "House for an Art Lover" eretta nel 1996 su progetto di Charles Rennie Mackintosh 
• House for an Art Lover, 10 Dumbreck Road - Bellahouston Park (Stazione metro di Ibrox). Entrance fee. Completata nel 1996 seguendo pedissequosamente un progetto di Charles Rennie Mackintosh del 1901 
• Hampden Park (Aikenhead Road). 

• Holmwood House, 61–63 Netherlee Road, Cathcart (A 6 km dal centro. Stazione ferroviaria più vicina: Cathcart). Entrance fee. Si tratta di una villa di campagna del 1856 progettata da Alexander Thomson e ritenuta il suo capolavoro 

Events and parties

Gennaio

• Celtic Connections. Incentrato sulle radici della musica scozzese, il festival attrae ogni anno circa 100.000 persone. La sua prima edizione risale al 1994. Gli artisti si esibiscono in genere al Royal Concert Hall, all'Old Fruitmarket al teatro Tron, all'auditorium del National Piping Centre [3] e in rinomati locali quali ABC e Barrowlands .

Febbraio

• Glasgow Film Festival. Dura dieci giorni e il programma comprende una serata di gala con la proiezione di un film di attualità seguita da retroprospettive di attori celebri del passato. La sua prima edizione risale al 2005. 

Giugno

• West End Festival. Dura 15 giorni e il giorno iniziale è caratterizzato da sfilate con musici per le strade di West End.Il programma prevede proiezioni di film e spettacoli teatrali nei parchi di West End, ai giardini botanici e al Kelvingrove Park. 
• Glasgow International Jazz Festival. . 

Settembre

• Merchant City Festival. Dedicato all'arte, al teatro, alla danza, alla moda e alla cucina scozzese, Merchant City Festival dura 4 giorni durante i quali artisti di varia categoria si esibiscono nelle strade, nei cortili e nei locali del quartiere. Vi partecipano anche artisti di strada di tutta Europa selezionati dai direttori del festival 

What to do

Shopping

How to have fun

Glasgow ha un'eccellente tradizione nel campo della musica rock e pop. Al King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut mosse i suoi primi passi il complesso degli Oasis. In altri locali si esibivano le bande Franz Ferdinand, Snow Patrol e Belle & Sebastian che ci hanno lasciato il delicato motivo "The Boy with the Arab Strap". C'è poi una grande varietà di pub e locali ove districarsi per trovare quello che più si confà ai propri gusti. Per scovarlo e anche per conoscere gli eventi musicali che si svolgeranno in coincidenza con le date del proprio soggiorno potrà tornare utile l'acquisto di una copia del quindicinale "The List" o una spulciatina alla sua versione on line all'indirizzo www.list.co.uk qualche giorno prima della partenza.

Glasgow va a pennello anche per tipi formali. Il Theatre Royal, un sontuoso edificio di epoca vittoriana, fa da degno sfondo agli spettacoli delle compagnie dell'Opera Lirica e del Balletto che vi hanno sede.

La città vanta anche parecchi teatri tre dei quali, il Citizen, il Troon e l'Arches sono ormai di fama consolidata. Si rammenta anche che a Glasgow ha sede un famoso conservatorio, la Reale Accademia Scozzese della Musica e della Drammaturgia (Royal Scottish Academy of Music & Drama) che ha sfornato e continua a sfornare talenti a palate. Ne citiamo solo un terzetto: Alan Cumming, Denis Lawson e James McAvoy .

Shows

Opera Lirica e Danza

• Theatre Royal, 282 Hope Street (Fermata metro di Cowcaddens). Sede delle compagnie dell'Opera Lirica e del balletto scozzese, Theatre Royal risale all'epoca vittoriana e l'auditorium offre una cornice grandiosa agli spettacoli che sono di tutto rispetto. Potete consultare il programma sul sito. I biglietti si comprano al botteghino del teatro in Hope Street angolo Cowcaddens Road. Se vi rivolgerete a un'agenzia di prenotazione pagherete di più. 

Teatri

• Citizens Theatre. Tra i molti teatri rinomato è il Citizens Theatre, all'incrocio delle vie Gorbals e Ballater. Nei mesi estivi chiude i battenti. 
• Tron Theatre. . 

Concerti hanno luogo alla Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, al nº 2 di Sauchiehall St.

• Scotland's National Arena. Inaugurata nel 2011 la Scotland's National Arena si erge a fianco dell'auditorio Clyde ma ha una capienza maggiore (12.500 posti). 

Cinema

• Cineworld, Renfrew Street (Tra la stazione delle autolinee extraurbane di Buchanan e la Glasgow Royal Concert Hall). Inaugurato nel 2001, Cineworld è il cinematografo più frequentato di Glasgow (1.800.000 spettatori nel 2003). Conta 18 schermi su 9 livelli. Compare nel libro Guinness dei primati come sala cinematografica più alta del mondo (62 m.). Tuttavia l'edificio che la ospita non è piaciuto ai residenti che gli hanno affibbiato il nomignolo di "carbuncle" (ulcerazione) per elementi decorativi di color rosso che compaiono sulla facciata e sui lati. 
• Glasgow Film Theatre (GFT), Rose Street angolo Sauchiehall Street. — Un cineclub molto frequentato nonostante non abbia adottato la tecnologia digitale. La sala cinematografica fu inaugurata nel 1939 su progetto degli architetti James McKissack e W J Andersoned e presenta interessanti decorazioni deco. Dopo la proiezione gli spettatori si riuniscono nel Café Cosmo per esprimere i loro commenti sull'opera. 

Musica dal vivo

Il 20 agosto 2008 Glasgow fu insignita del titolo "città della musica" dall'UNESCO nel quadro delle città con maggior spirito creativo al mondo. La scelta è quanto mai varia. Accanto ai due locali di maggior fama riportati oltre sono da segnalare altri più piccoli ma anche più intimi come Stereo, 13th Note e "Nice N Sleazy"

• Barrowland, Gallowgate 244 (Fermata metro St. Enoch). — Aperto solo in determinate serate, il Barrowland è frequentato soprattutto da studenti. Vi si esibiscono i più noti complessi musicali. Ha una capienza di 2.000 posti, pochini se paragonati a quelli della SECC. Quando d'estate gli studenti se ne stanno in vacanza il Barrowland, se mai apre, è un mortorio. Barrowlands è un locale storico di Glasgow. Trae il nome dal vicino mercato Barras. Fu inaugurato nel 1934 come sala da ballo. Distrutto da un incedio nel 1958, fu ricostruito e riaprì i battenti un paio di anni dopo. Con l'affermazione dei generi pop e rock il Barroland perse clienti ma si adeguò subito alle nuove mode convertendosi in auditorium per complessi musicali 

• ABC, 300 Sauchiehall Street (Fermata metro più vicina: Cowcaddens). Come Barrowland, anche l'ABC propone serate presenziate da rinomati complessi di musica pop, rock e jazz ma è più piccolo (1.250 posti). In funzione dal 2005, l'ABC è stato ricavato da una vecchia sala cinematografica, la prima a proiettare un film in Scozia. L'edificio dove è ubicato risale al 1896. 

Musica folk

Se, da bravi turisti, siete interessati a musica tradizionale scozzese, allora i locali che potrebbero fare al caso vostro sono quelli riportati di seguito. Dovrete in ogni caso controllarne il programma perché non sempre vi si esibiscono complessi folk:

• The Scotia Bar, 112 Stockwell St. In funzione dal 1792, lo Scotia Bar è un famoso pub 

• Oran Mor, Byres Road. angolo Great Western Rd. Oran More è un locale che prende le cose molto sul serio. Nel pomeriggio mette in scena rappresentazioni teatrali, commedie soprattutto ed ha un servizio ristorante. Altri spazi sono dedicati alla musica dal vivo non sempre folk 

Concerti di musica celtica ma anche jazz hanno spesso luogo nella chiesa St. Andrew’s in the Square (fermata metro di St. Enoch). Spesso vengono messi in scena danze folcloristiche scozzesi.

Pubs

Di seguito una piccola lista dei più rinomati pub di Glasgow:

• Corn Exchange, 88 Gordon St (Di fronte alla Stazione centrale). In funzione dalla metà dell'800, Corn Exchange è il posto giusto dove consumare il pasto di mezzogiorno accompagnato da una pinta di lager a prezzi, tutto sommato accettabili. 

• The Horseshoe Bar, 17-19 Drury Street (a pochi passi da Central Station). Uno dei più tradizionali pub di Glasgow frequentato in passato dai Travis e da musicisti come Billy Joel. 

• Drum & Monkey. va bene invece per ascoltare musica jazz 

• Bon Accor, 53 North StGlasgow G3 7DA. Dispone della più ampia gamma di birre locali ed estere 

• Cask and Still. è invece il posto giusto dove sorseggiare il malto scozzese 

Discoteche

• Fury Murry’s. Una discoteca frequentata da studenti e sempre molto affollata. È in uno scantinato vicino alla piazza di St. Enoch 

Gay clubs

La zona gay di Glasgow è il cosiddetto "Triangolo rosa" (Pink Triangle), formato dai locali Revolver, Bennets e Polo Lounge. Il Pink Triangle è ubicato nella Merchant City appena dietro il palazzo comunale (City Chambers).

• Waterloo Bar, al n° 306 di Argyle Street. è il locale gay di Glasgow di più antica data e resiste ancora bene all'incedere del tempo. La sua clientela non è comunque composta da giovanissimi. 

Alcuni locali "straight" di Glasgow organizzano serate gay.

Per aggiornarvi potete consultare il sito www.gayscotland.com

Where to eat

Moderate prices

• Where the Monkey Sleeps, 182, West Regent St (vicino a Blythswood Square). Famoso locale gestito da tre ex allievi della Glasgow School of Art (GSA) con la passione del rock, "Where the Monkey Sleeps" è ubicato in uno scantinato del distretto finanziario di Glasgow. Lo individuerete facilmente dalle biciclette parcheggiate davanti. Appartengono ai fattorini che lavorano per gli uffici del distretto finanziario. Il locale è rinomato soprattutto per i suoi sandwich e panini. Il più apprezzato dei panini è lo “stoofa” condito con aceto balsamico, salvia, origano e cipolla rossa. Durante la pausa del pranzo si formano lunghe code per cui conviene andarci un po' prima della chiusura degli uffici. 

Average prices

• Café Gandolfi (Cucina scozzese), 64 Albion St (Merchant City), ☎ 44 141 552 6813. Prenotazione consigliata. Di fama consolidata, il Café Gandolfi è quasi un'istituzione a Merchant City. Nella sua lista troverete piatti tipici della cucina delle Ebridi come baccalà e brodi di pesce ma anche bistecche. 

High prices

• Stravaigin Café Bar, 28 Gibson Street (Vicino all'Università di Glasgow). Menù a prezzo fisso per l'ora di pranzo.. Stravaigin in scozzese significa "andando a zonzo". Oltre al ristorante c'è un pub con prezzi più bassi ma le pietanze sono ugualmente buone. Tra i piatti elaborati c'è il vitello al coriandolo e couscous, tra le squisitezze formaggio con verdure passate in padella. Il menù a prezzo fisso di mezzogiorno comprende due portate ma abbondanti. Al n° 8 di Ruthven Lane, vicino a Bayres Street è stato aperto un altro ristorante, "Stravaigin 2" con prezzi sensibilmente più bassi. 
• Ubiquitous Chip, 12, Ashton Lane (West End, vicino a Bayres Road e alla stazione metro di Hillhead.). Prenotazione richiesta. Specializzato in piatti di cucina scozzese elaborati con fantasia dallo chef Ronnie Clydesdale (1936–2010), l'Ubiquitous Chip continua ad essere sulla cresta dell'onda nonostante sia in funzione dal 1971. Al piano di sopra c'è il pub ove vengono servite le stesse pietanze del ristorante a una frazione del loro prezzo. Si può ripiegare anche sul menù a prezzo fisso offerto sia all'ora di pranzo che di cena. 
• Fratelli Sarti, 133 Wellington St, ☎ 44 141 248 2228. Meno caro della Parmigiana, il ristorante Fratelli Sarti presenta nella sua lista piatti meno sofisticati e più tradizionali, come pasta al forno e pizze croccanti lievitate al punto giusto 
• Rogano, 11 Exchange Place (Stazione metro di Buchanan St.), ☎ 44 141 248 4055. Speciazzato in piatti di pesce, il celebre ristorante Rogano offre lussuosi interni che ricalcano i saloni art deco del transatlantico Queen Mary, varato nei cantieri di Glasgow. Anche il servizio da tavola, piatti posate e cristalli sono dell'epoca. Le pietanze comprendono aragoste e altre squisitezze preparate in modo tradizionale ma i prezzi sono oltremodo salati e se proprio volete farci una capatina andateci all'ora di pranzo per approfittare del menu fisso. 
• Gamba, 225a W. George St (Fermata metro più vicina: Buchanan St.), ☎ 44 141 572 0899. Ritenuto il migliore dei ristoranti di Glasgow specializzati in pietanze di pesce, Gamba offre piatti preparati dal suo chef Derek Marshall, cooproprietario del locale, preceduti da stuzzichevoli antipasti fatti di fette di salmone o zuppe di pesce alla maniera giapponese 
• Bistro at One Devonshire Gardens, 1 Devonshire Gardens, ☎ 44 141 339 2001. All'interno del lussuoso Hotel du Vin, il ristorante offre le pietanze elaborate dallo chef Paul Tamburrini la cui fama ha varcato i confini della Scozia 

Where stay

Se non avete prenotato, l'ufficio del turismo nella centrale George Square si incaricherà di trovarvi alloggio su vostra richiesta. È aperto dalle 09:00 alle 20:00 dei giorni feriali, fino alle 18:00 nei festivi. Nel periodo ottobre-gennaio chiude un'ora prima. Pagherete una piccolissima commissione

Moderate prices

• Glasgow Youth Hostel (SYHA), 8 Park Terrace (Vicino alla Casa d'Italia (Park Circus). Dal centro salire sull'autobus 44A che passa per Hope Street e scendete a una delle prime fermate di Woodlands Road (West End). Imboccate quindi la Lynedoch Street (in salita) che conduce a Park Terrace. Vedrete l'ostello sulla vostra destra), ☎ 44 141 332 3004. — Tra i migliori ostelli di Scozia, il Glasgow Youth Hostel dispone di 150 posti letto distribuiti in camerate e stanze. I servizi accessori del'ostello sono ottimi e la sua posizione è magnifica con viste panoramiche sul vicino parco Kelvingrove. 
• Euro Hostel, 318 Clyde St (sul lungofiume non distante da St. Enoch square), ☎ 44 141 222 2828. Starting at £12.95 with free breakfast. Private rooms from £30.95. — Ostello privato. Sistemazione in camerate con 14 posti letto o anche in stanze a due letti. Dispone di un cucinotto che va bene solo per prepararsi un caffè la mattina se, beninteso, vi siete portati appresso macchinetta e miscela italiana. 
• Blue Sky, 65 Berkeley St (Su una parallela di Sauchiehall Street tra Charing Cross e il parco Kelvingrove), ☎ 44 141 221 1710. — Ostello privato. 
• Bunkum Backpackers Hostel, 26 Hillhead St (Vicino al campus dell'università di Glasgow), ☎ 44 141 581 4481. £12 and up. — Ottimo ostello con camerate spaziose ma con poca disponibilità di letti. Appetibile la sua collocazione vicino alla "Byres Road", la strada più animata del West End, frequentata da giovani studenti universitari. 
• 1883 Guest House, 58 Glenapp St, Glasgow (A 100 m dalla stazione Pollokshields East Rail), ☎ 44 07775 832 461. £25-40. — Piccola pensione a 3 km dal centro ma ben collegata grazie ai treni suburbani. 
• Campus Accommodation – University of Strathclyde, 50 Richmond Street Glasgow G1 1XP (Vicino alla cattedrale di San Mungo), ☎ 44 141 553 4148. Check in: 13:00, check-out: 10:00. — Gli alloggi degli studenti sono disponibili d'estate per turisti. Ci si sistema in stanze con bagno o anche in appartamenti provvisti di cucina. Dovrete però prenotare con molto anticipo (fin da gennaio). Unico neo la mancanza di wi-fi per connettersi alla rete ma uscendo troverete una ridda di locali che vi offrono questa facilitazione. 

High prices

• Hilton Glasgow hotel, 1 William Street, Glasgow G3 8HT. Unico fra gli alberghi di Glasgow a fregiarsi di 5 stelle, L'Hilton Hotel è un grattacielo di 20 piani del 1990. È ubicato in centro vicino al tratto urbano della M8, trafficata a tutte le ore del giorno e della notte. Nelle sue suites hanno alloggiato il pugile Mike Tyson e l'ex presidente americano Bill Clinton. 

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Around

Da Glasgow è possibile raggiungere via terra e in tempi relativamente brevi qualsiasi altro punto della Scozia anche le apparentemente remote isole Orcadi con una traversata in mare di circa 3/4 d'ora. Di seguito ci limitiamo ad accennare l'itinerario classico seguito da chi visita la Scozia per la prima volta e disponendo di un paio di settimane vuol conoscerne le attrattive principali:

Dalla stazione di Queen Street salite su un treno che percorra la "West Highland Line", una strada ferrata panoramica e per questo motivo raccomandata. Scendete al capolinea di Mallaig dove vi imbarcarete su un traghetto per l'isola di Skye (impiegano mezz'ora a raggiungere la sponda opposta). Dopo 3-4 giorni trascorsi a Skye, recatevi a Kyle of Lochalsh la località sulla terraferma collegata con un ponte all'isola. Da qui ha inizio un'altra strada ferrata panoramica che fa capolinea ad Inverness. Da questa città salite su uno dei tanti battelli che effettuano minicrociere sul Loch Ness, il più famoso dei laghi scozzesi. In pulman o in treno raggiungerete Edimburgo dove vi concederete altri 3 giorni di soggiorno. Dall'aeroporto di Edimburgo potete far ritorno in Italia o se avete spiccato un biglietto di andata e ritorno dirigetevi verso l'aeroporto di Glasgow Prestwick. Dista da Edimburgo circa 130 km.

Other projects

• Wikipedia contains an entry concerning Glasgow
• Commons contains images or other files on Glasgow
• Wikinews contains current news on Glasgow

Usable : the article respects the characteristics of a draft but in addition it contains enough information to allow a short visit to the city. Use i correctly listing (the right type in the right sections).