Travel in Glasgow, Scotland - Culture

Glasgow - Culture

Many of our potential postgraduates may not be familiar with Glasgow, the West of Scotland and the reputation of the University of Strathclyde. For those of you from out with the area, we give an introduction to Glasgow, the friendly city and to Strathclyde, the friendly university.

The city which boasted "Glasgow's Miles Better" now has a new slogan: "Glasgow's Alive!" Obviously this is a city with a sense of humour - a gift which has helped it survive the good times and bad times of eight centuries.

"Glasgow is one of the funniest places on earth," claims a veteran Glasgow journalist. "It is also one of the friendliest places on earth, because people schooled in hard times acquire sympathy for other people, and the citizens are fascinated by strangers." There is no doubt the opposite is also true - that newcomers, will be fascinated by Glasgow, the city on the River Clyde which had its beginnings in a monk's cell.

According to tradition, Saint Mungo (or Kentigern) founded a community in the sixth century on the banks of the Molendinar Burn, a small tributary of the Clyde. The magnificent Cathedral of St Mungo has stood on that site since the 13th century.

With a population of around 740,000, Glasgow is Scotland's largest city. At one time it was the Second City of the Empire, constructing locomotives, weaving carpets and building ships that brought sugar, cotton and tobacco to the city and made some of its citizens wealthy. Now the shipyards and heavy engineering industries are mostly gone, and the warehouses, once filled with the spoils of colonial trading, have become the 'desirable residences' of the Merchant City.

Transformation

Gone too is the dirt and grime, for Glasgow was quick to realise the importance of urban renewal. Over the past 12 years large areas of the city centre have undergone a transformation. Magnificent Victorian and Edwardian buildings have been sand-blasted and restored to their true colours of pale gold or pink. Much new building has taken place, tastefully blending in with the old.

Glasgow's population contains an interesting mixture. Over the centuries the city has absorbed many disparate elements - the thousands of families from the Scottish Highlands and Ireland who came looking for work, Jewish and Italian immigrants, and more recently Indians and Pakistanis. All contribute to the rich tapestry of life in Glasgow today.

Cultural Centre

Culturally the city is booming too. The King's, the Tron, the Pavilion, the Citizens ... Glasgow has a wide and varied theatre scene and many productions offer student discounts. Events such as Mayfest and the Jazz Festival have become established in the Glasgow calendar while Scotland's top cultural triad - Scottish Ballet, Scottish Opera and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra - all have their headquarters in Glasgow. The RSNO moved to a splendid new home in October 1990, when the 2,500-seat Glasgow Royal Concert Hall was opened. Glasgow is home to more than 35 museums and galleries, which include the Burrell Collection, the Art Gallery and Museum at Kelvingrove, the Museum of Transport, the People's Palace and the McLellan Galleries, while the city's Mitchell Library is the largest civic-owned reference library in Europe.

Like many other major cities, Glasgow has seen a revolution in its shopping habits over the last few years, with shopping malls taking over from traditional department stores. The most spectacular of these is the St Enoch Centre in Argyle Street, a rainproof mega shopping complex which has 270,000 square feet of shopping, parking space for 750 cars, a 450-seat food court and an ice rink. Off Buchanan Street is the more elegant Princes Square development, which has a continental atmosphere and a range of exclusive boutiques.

Recreation is well catered for in the city, with over 70 parks and many sports facilities. It comes as a surprise, however, to many first-time visitors to discover how easy it is to leave the city and explore the countryside. Some of the best hill-walking and climbing in Britain is within easy reach, and day trips are possible to Scotland's commercial ski areas - Glencoe, Glenshee, Aonach Mor and Aviemore. The Firth of Clyde is ideal for sailing, as is Loch Lomond, whose "bonny banks" are less than an hour away by train or by car.

Transport and Communications

Because Scotland is a small country, its other main cities are all within easy reach. Edinburgh, the capital, is only 45 miles away - or 45 minutes by Scot Rail. London, too, is only an hour away by air, and six hours by rail. Glasgow Airport is just 15 minutes from the city centre and is among the busiest ones in Britain, with regular flights to London and other UK cities and direct services to the rest of Europe and North America.

Glasgow is an exciting, vibrant city. Thousands of students choose to study here every year. Come and join them and find out why!

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