Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
GETTING
TO KNOW
GLASGOW
Glasgow is only about 74km (46 miles) west of Edin-
13
burgh, but the contrast between the two cities is
significant. Glasgow (pronounced “
glaaz
-go” by
natives) doesn't have the fairy-tale setting that Edinburgh
does, but it compensates with a lively culture, metropolitan
feel, and gregarious locals.
Glasgow's origins are ancient, making Edinburgh seem comparatively
young. Archaeologists have uncovered evidence of Roman settlements.
In the 6th century, St. Kentigern (or St. Mungo) is believed to have
begun a monastery at the site of
Glasgow Cathedral,
a hillside along a
burn
(creek) that feeds into the River Clyde. The site was logical for a
settlement, as it was at an opportune point to ford the mighty Clyde
before it widens on its way to the sea some 30km (20 miles) away.
According to some translations, Glasgow, or
glascau,
means “dear green
place.”
Aside from the Cathedral itself, practically none of this once-impor-
tant medieval ecclesiastical center (including a university) remains.
That's a shame, as Glasgow was considered one of the prettiest towns in
all of 17th-century Europe. And much of its historical records (kept at
the Cathedral) were swept away and lost during the Reformation.
The city became an economic powerhouse in the 18th century and
quickly grew to be Scotland's largest city (as well as the fourth-most
populous in the U.K.). The boom began in earnest with the tobacco trade
to the New World, where Glasgow outpaced rivals such as London or
Bristol. The city then became famous worldwide for shipbuilding and
docks that produced the
Queen Mary
and other fabled ocean liners. It
was the Second City of the Empire. But postindustrial decline gave
Glasgow a poor reputation—particularly in contrast to the enduring
charms of Edinburgh.
In the 1980s, the city reversed its fortunes, becoming Scotland's contem-
porary cultural capital and drawing talent from across the U.K., whether in
art or rock 'n' roll. Decades of grime were sandblasted away from its monu-
mental Victorian buildings, and one of Europe's best collections of art—the
