Cultural Glasgow Vacations

Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland and also the most popular vacation destination in the nation an many tourists fail to see the enormous benefit of visiting the nearby city of Glasgow.

Glasgow is a lively and vibrant city attracting more and more visitors annually. While most folk visit to enjoy the vibrant nightlife that the city offers more people are becoming aware of the many artistic and cultural elements of this fascinating city. Below I introduce the reader to three such places to visit in Glasgow.

The Glasgow School of Art: The building was originally founded in 1845 as the Glasgow Government School of Design, but in 1853 the school changed it’s name to The Glasgow School of Art. Originally it was located at 12 Ingram Street, but moved in 1869 to the McLellan Galleries. In 1897 work began on a new building to house the school on Renfrew Street. It was this new building that Charles Rennie Mackintosh designed, which was completed in 1909. The school actually spreads across 10 buildings, and it is The Mackintosh Building, or ‘The Mac’, as it is affectionately known, that is the heart of the campus. The Mackintosh Building also houses the Mackintosh gallery, which holds many different exhibitions throughout the year.

The House for An Art Lover: House For An Art Lover is one of Glasgow’s most popular attractions. The Art Nouveau House was orignally designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh, Glasgow’s most famous architect, with the help of his wife Margaret Macdonald. The design was for a competition, in 1901, to design a House for an Art Lover. The Mackintoshs entry was disqualified from the competition, on the grounds of late submission. Over 100 years later, the house now stands completed in Bellahouston Park, thanks to engineer Graham Roxburgh and architect Professor Andy Macmillan. Building work began in 1989 but was then halted, and resumed again in 1994, due to the collaboration between Glasgow City Council and Glasgow School of Art.

The Peoples Palace: The People’s Palace and Winter Gardens are a museum and glasshouse situated near Glasgow Green. They were opened on 22nd January 1898 by the Earl of Rosebery, and were intended to provide a cultural centre for the people of Glasgow. The ground floor originally provided reading and recreation rooms. However, since the 1940’s, it has been Glasgow’s social history museum, and tells the story of the people and the city from 1750 to the present day. Attached to the People’s Palace is the Winter Gardens, an elegant Victorian Glassghouse where on can relax among the tropical plants, or enjoy the cafe.

Of course there are a great many more cultural attractions in Glasgow so when you are next planning a Scottish vacation you should investigate this stimulating city further. One final word is that you may have difficulty finding hotel vacancies at times so it is well worth booking your accommodation at the earliest opportunity.