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Excitement and awareness steadily grew over the last
decade. Glasgow became a venue for stimulating new
developments such as the Burrell Collection, then host for
a major Garden Festival followed by the accolade of
Cultural Capital of Europe in 1990. In 1999 it will be the
European City of Architecture & Design.
A
cultural feast
Though the extraordinary breadth of the Burrell
Collection, with its collection of textiles, furniture,
ceramics and other objets d'art, is typical of the city's
cultural wealth, there are many other diversions. One of
Europe's finest civic art collections is in the
Kelvingrove Museum & Art Gallery. Opposite is the Museum
of Transport, with its reconstructions of a typical
Glasgow street of the 1930s. Also nearby is the University
of Glasgow's Hunterian Museum & Art Gallery with plenty of
material on Charles Rennie Mackintosh. This architect made
a notable contribution to the development of the Art
Nouveau movement in Europe. Glasgow has some fine examples
of his genius, including his masterpiece, the Glasgow
School of Art. Located next to Glasgow Cathedral, visitors
will also find the stimulating St Mungo Museum, presenting
the universal themes of life, death and the hereafter
through evocative art associated with different faiths.
Glasgow is the headquarters of many artistic companies,
including Scottish Opera, Scottish Ballet and the Royal
Scottish Orchestra, all of which have regular concert
programmes in custom-built halls, notably the flagship
venue, the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall.
Shopping around
Naturally, a major city such as Glasgow offers a very
wide shopping choice, made all the more pleasant by the
widespread provision of pedestrian area, such as Buchanan
Street, Argyle Street or Sauchiehall Street. In addition,
while the St Enoch Centre represents the modern trend in
covered shopping and is one of the largest malls in
Europe, Princes Square has added an elite note, with a
sophisticated ambience appropriate for a style-conscious
city. The area known as the Merchant City: recalling the
entrepreneurial adventurers who traded with the Americas
in the 17th and 18th centuries, is now a district of small
select shops, while Byres Road in the West End is another
area offering plenty of shopping choice. At the other end
of the scale is The Barras: part flea market, part
entertainment but an important element in the Glasgow
shopping experience.
Nightlife
Glasgow is famous for its variety of pubs, wine bars
and other places of much conviviality, where visitors will
find Glaswegian hospitality at its most generous. At
places well known to the locals, such as The Babbity
Bowster or the Scotia Bar with its impromptu and spirited
folk music performances, visitors can find an authentic
Glasgow pub experience as well as good wholesome pub food.
Glasgow's restaurant scene is lively and sophisticated,
with restaurants such as The Buttery, offering a
distinctly Franco-Scottish menu and consistently high
quality. Meanwhile clubs and nightspots are as up-to-date
and fashion-conscious as anywhere in Europe, with places
such as King Tut's Wah Wah Hut offering a special venue
for live bands, while Ivory Blacks is rated by some as the
top spot for all kinds of live entertainment.
Many of the city's pubs offer live entertainment, for
example, folk or jazz. For a complete guide to the city's
entertainment, make sure you call at the city-centre
Tourist Information Centre.
Choosing your accommodation in Glasgow
With Glasgow not just a visitor but also business
destination and conference centre, there is a wide choice
of all ranges of accommodation. These include
international city-centre hotels such as the Glasgow
Hilton as well as equally luxurious, award winning venues
such as 1 Devonshire Gardens, in addition to inexpensive
guest houses in the suburbs. Remember, too, that Glasgow
is within easy reach of fine countryside close to the
city, so it is perfectly easy to stay in rural
surroundings and enjoy the city's excitement.
Places to visit
These are a few examples of things to see and do.
Further information is contained in the leaflet "Greater
Glasgow" (available from your British Tourist Authority
Office).
Kelvingrove Museum & Art Gallery
One of Europe's finest art collections housed in the
imposing gallery in Kelvingrove Park in the city's West
End. (Open all year.)
Glasgow Museum of Transport
Every kind of vehicle imaginable on display at the Kelvin
Hall, opposite Kelvingrove Museum & Art Gallery.
Charles Rennie Mackintosh
The Glasgow architect who made a unique and lasting
contribution to European design. Much of his work is to be
seen all over the city and in the galleries and museums.
The Museum Of Comparative Religion (St Mungo Museum)
Next to Glasgow Cathedral and the Necropolis, the museum
explores many aspects of world religions. There is also a
Zen garden.
Burrell Collection, Pollok Park, Glasgow
The vast and unique collection of one man who gifted it to
the city. Degas, Rodin, ancient Egypt, Ming vases...
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