Glasgow
City and unitary authority in west- central Scotland; the unitary
authority formed in 1995 from the majority of land from Glasgow
District Council of Strathclyde Region
Area:
176 sq km/68 sq mi
Industries:
Engineering; chemicals; printing; whisky blending; brewing; electronics;
textiles; light manufacturing
Population:
(1995) 618,400
Features:
Buildings include the Cathedral of St Mungo, which dates mainly from
the 13th century; Provand's Lordship (1475; the oldest dwelling-
house in the city); the Cross Steeple (part of the historic Tolbooth);
the universities of Glasgow, established in 1451 (present buildings
constructed in 1868-70 to designs by George Gilbert Scott). Other
buildings of note include the Kelvingrove Art Gallery; the Glasgow
School of Art, designed by C R Mackintosh; the Burrell Collection
at Pollock Park, bequeathed by shipping magnate William Burrell
(1861-1958); the Gallery of Modern Art; the Mitchell Library;
and 19th-century Greek Revival buildings designed by Alexander
Thomson.
History
There was a settlement on the Clyde when St Mungo arrived in the 6th
century to convert the Strathclyde Britons. Willliam the Lion
made Glasgow a burgh of barony in about 1178, and it became a
royal burgh under James VI in 1636. The Union of Scotland and
England in 1707, though at first resented, brought increasing
prosperity; in the 18th century trade with the Americas for tobacco,
sugar, and cotton was very important. In the 19th century the
Industrial Revolution had a great influence on the city, and its
shipbuilding industry developed.
Topography
Glasgow lies on both sides of the River Clyde and is surrounded by
hills; the city is partly built on the river terrace and partly
on glacially deposited hills (drumlins).
Architecture
Glasgow possesses some of the most impressive buildings in Scotland,
situated chiefly in the commercial centre of the city. The main
square is George Square (sometimes called the `Valhalla of Glasgow´
because of its many statues) in which a cenotaph occupies a prominent
place. The municipal buildings, formally opened by Queen Victoria
in 1888, stand on the east side of George Square; the General
Post Office occupies the south side; and on the west is the Italianate
Merchants' House. Two of the main streets are Sauchiehall Street,
in which are the McLellan Galleries, former home of the city art
collection; and Argyll Street, the busiest commercial thoroughfare,
leading to Trongate, the oldest part of the city. The Trongate
steeple is at the eastern end of Trongate, and a little further
on lies the cross. St Mungo's Cathedral is situated northeast
of the city on the side of the valley of the Molindinar Burn.
Built in the Early English style, the cathedral is in the form
of a Latin cross with imperfect transepts. It was used after the
Reformation as three separate churches: the Inner High, occupying
the choir; the Outer High, occupying the nave; and the Laigh (Low)
or Barony, occupying the crypt with its pillars and pointed arches.
The stained glass windows in the crypt and chapter house were
executed by various British and foreign artists. St Mungo formed
a bishopric here in about 543. The see was restored by David,
prince of Cumbria, in 1115, and his preceptor John Achaius, bishop
of Glasgow, laid the foundations of a cathedral in 1133 (consecrated
in 1136). This was probably destroyed by fire in about 1176. Carved
bosses in the vaulting of the lower church commemorate those who
carried out further building work on the cathedral, including
Bishop Jocelyn (1175-99), Bishop Bondington, and Comyn, Lord of
Kilbride (13th century). The rood screen and the unfinished south
transept were added in the 15th century by Archbishop Blacadder.
St Mungo is buried under the central vaulting of the lower church,
and a well named after him is nearby.
Education and Culture
Glasgow has three universities, the oldest of which is Glasgow
University at Gilmorehill in the West End. Strathclyde University
is east of George Square, while Glasgow Caledonian University
is to the north of George Square. Other important colleges and
institutions include the Glasgow School of Art, the Scottish College
of Commerce, the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, the
West of Scotland College of Agriculture, the Glasgow and West
of Scotland College of Domestic Science, and Stow College for
trade and technical instruction.
Glasgow has several excellent art galleries and museums. Kelvingrove
Art Gallery and Museum was first opened as part of the 1901 International
Exhibition and officially opened as an art gallery and museum
in 1902. The Art Gallery is noted for its collection of European
painting from the 15th century onwards. The museum has a section
on shipbuilding, which includes the Spencer collection of early
ship models, and houses the Scott collection of arms and armour.
The Kelvin Hall (1927) is the annual venue of the city's exhibitions,
fairs, and carnivals. Glasgow's Libraries Department has its headquarters
at the Mitchell Library. Stirling's library and the commercial
library are housed in the Royal Exchange.
The Scottish Orchestra in Glasgow, where John Barbirolli first
won recognition, was established early this century. The Citizen's
Theatre is one of the chief Scottish creative dramatic centres.
Parks and open spaces include Glasgow Green in the east; in the
southwest are Queen's Park, Bellahouston Park, Roukenglen, and
Linn Park; to the north is Springburn Park; to the northeast are
Alexandra Park and Hogganfield; and to the northwest is Kelvingrove
Park. In Victoria Park is the `fossil grove´, consisting of petrified
trees of the Carboniferous system. The botanic gardens contain
the Kibble Crystal Palace, a large glass structure and winter
garden, at one time used for concerts and meetings. Hampden Park,
the ground of Queen's Park Football Club, can accommodate 140,000
spectators. Glasgow is the venue for the 1999 European City of
Architecture and Design Festival.
The Clyde The upper river, originally a fordable salmon river,
has been successfully straightened and deepened in such a manner
that the scour of the tides keeps the channel clear and comparatively
little dredging is required. The rise and fall of the tide at
Glasgow bridge varies between 3 m/ ft and 4 m/ ft. The River Clyde
is spanned by many bridges. The Dalmarnock bridge was erected
in 1891; the Rutherglen bridge was reconstructed in 1896. St Andrew's
suspension bridge spans the river from the Green to Hutcheson
Town, a district also approached by the Albert bridge. The Victoria
bridge, built of granite, replaced the old bridge constructed
by Bishop Rae in the middle of the 14th century. The most important
of all the bridges, the Glasgow or Broomielaw bridge, composed
of granite, is a continuation of Jamaica Street; reconstructed
in 1899, it proved inadequate for the constantly increasing traffic,
and the George V bridge was opened a short distance downstream
in 1927. Twin road tunnels have been constructed under the Clyde
at Whiteinch in order to relieve traffic congestion in the city.
Glasgow and Clydeside sustained severe bomb damage during World
War II, notably in March 1941, when 1,235 people were killed and
40,000 houses damaged. In Clydebank only eight houses were left
undamaged.
Economy
Glasgow maintained the reputation of the Clyde as one of the greatest
shipbuilding rivers in the world; many ships of all classes were
built there, including the world's largest liners: Queen Mary,
Queen Elizabeth, and Queen Elizabeth II, and the battleship HMS
Vanguard. Most shipbuilding is on the south bank of the Clyde
and Glasgow's importance as a world ranking centre has declined
considerably. Glasgow engineers built the first airship to cross
the Atlantic, and also the Forth Bridge and London's Tower Bridge.
While the heavier industries of shipbuilding and engineering
have been predominant, The Clyde area also developed lighter industries,
producing textiles, carpets, threads, sewing machines and foods.
Industries established include the manufacture of motor trailers,
optical equipment, scientific apparatus, jet engines, and motor
vehicle components; electric lamps, batteries, and electric household
appliances; silk and artificial silk garments, seamless containers;
razor blades; and motor service equipment. Established firms have
diversified into the manufacture of mechanical loaders and excavators,
synthetic resin glues and insulated cloths, machines for bottle-making
and labelling, gravel and sand-washing, and the mechanical packing
of foodstuffs, and glass silk for heat and sound insulation. The
city also has a long tradition of warehousing, commerce, insurance,
banking, and general marketing.
Population
Even before local government reorganization in 1975, the population
of Glasgow was declining. This was partly a planned dispersal
to new towns such as Cumbernauld, but the clearance of 29 specified
comprehensive redevelopment areas, including some slum and tenement
zones, also caused some displacement of population. The city is
the administrative, social, and service centre for the Glasgow
conurbation, which extends from Gourock on the west to Carluke
on the east; it is thus one of the largest continuously built-up
areas in Britain. The majority of the housing stock is owned by
the city corporation.
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