Glasgow Scotland – A City Of Spectacular Architecture

Glasgow Cathedral

Scotland is such an incredible and popular place to visit. One of the most exciting cities anywhere to visit is Glasgow.

Glasgow has such a wide array of attractions for visitors to enjoy. Although there are numerous modern attractions to see, most visitors come to Glascow to take in the sights of the city’s spectacular architecture. View the many works of designer Charles Rennie Mackintosh and the famous Art Nouveau architect.

Glasgow born (in 1868) Mackintosh worked as an apprentice to the architect John Hutchinson from the age of 16. In 1890 he took a tour of Italy, financed by the prize money he gained from winning the Alexander Thomson Travelling Studentship. In 1893 Glasgow returned from Italy and began work on the Glasgow Herald Building which was his first large scale project.

While visiting Glasgow, visit many of the places that showcase the work of Mackintosh including the House for an Art Lover and the stunning Glasgow School of Art.

A short distance away, in Helensburgh, is Hill House which is also well worth visiting as it is considered one of his finest works. Two additional buildings associated with Mackintosh are the Lighthouse and Queens Cross Church.

The Lighthouse

The Lighthouse is Scotland’s Centre for Architecture, Design and the City, and opened as part of Glasgows status as UK City of Architecture and Design in 1999. The renamed building, originally housed the offices of the Glasgow Herald newspaper, and was remodeled by Charles Rennie Mackintosh in 1893-95. This was Mackintoshs first design, for a major public building. One of the most stunning features of The Lighthouse is the view over Glasgow City from the Mackintosh Tower, which is accessible via a helical staircase from the third floor. There is also another modern viewing platform, which forms the buildings sixth floor, and is only accessible via a lift.

Queens Cross Church

Glasgow’s Queens Cross Church, though no longer an active church, is famous for being the only church ever designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh that was completed. Many people know it as the Mackintosh church and it first came into use in 1899 and was decommissioned in the 1970s. It is now open to the public and home to the Charles Rennie Mackintosh Society.

Another must see building in Glasgow is quite possibly the most important the Glasgow Cathedral, the only medieval cathedral to survive complete during the destruction of the Scottish Reformation. One of the more recent elements are the stained glass windows which are the finest example of 20th century stained glass in Scotland.