There are some cities that touch your heart in a way that is hard to explain with words. For me, that city is Glasgow, Scotland. I’ll start by saying that I am slightly biased as my grandparents are from Glasgow and it is a city that I was fortunate enough to live in for over three years. But no matter how many times I return, it’s always a place that makes me smile. Glasgow is Scotland’s largest city, although not always as well known among tourists as the picturesque capital city of Edinburgh. Don’t get me wrong, I also love Edinburgh and think it’s a fantastic place to visit, but there is a vibrance and realness to the people and places of Glasgow that have always made it feel like my second home.
The history of Glasgow dates back to the 6th century, when St. Mungo is believed to have built a church in the area. Glasgow went on to become a prominent medieval burgh, which is best exemplified by the remaining Glasgow Cathedral. But it was during the Industrial Revolution that Glasgow really grew to prominence, becoming known as the “Second City of the Empire”, due to its success in shipbuilding, trade, heavy industry, as well as advances in art and culture. Today, Glasgow remains a thriving cultural centre filled with museums, restaurants, bars, shopping and music venues. You’ll find glimpses of the past scattered all over the city and below I’ve listed 10 (plus a few bonuses) of my favourite historical things to do in Glasgow, Scotland.
1. Visit the George Square in the city centre.
Located in the heart of Glasgow, George Square is the perfect place to begin your historical adventure through the city. George Square dates back to 1781 and was named after King George III. The area grew in prominence with the rise of Glasgow’s merchants and over the years has also been an important gathering place for events, ceremonies, celebrations and demonstrations. One of the most notable events to take place here was the Battle of George Square, where in 1919, tanks were rolled into the square as a result of a confrontation between protesting workers and the police.
There are a number of beautiful buildings that surround George Square, including the Glasgow City Chambers, which first began to be built in 1863. The laying of the foundation stone was a significant public event, attracting approximately 600,000 people to the square. Another main feature of George Square is the statues found throughout commemorating notable figures including Robert Burns, James Watt, Queen Victoria and more. The central monument in George Square is dedicated to Sir Walter Scott, one of Scotland’s most beloved novelists and poets. And if you’re in the mood for a drink, I also recommend visiting The Counting House, located just across from the square. This lively pub is located in a beautiful Victorian building that used to be the location of the Bank of Scotland.
2. Have a drink in Sloans, Glasgow’s oldest pub.
Glasgow has a number of historic places to eat and drink, but the oldest in the city is Sloans. Located just off of Buchanan Street in the city centre, Sloan’s has a history that dates back to the year 1797. It originally opened as a coffeehouse and was also the departing location of a stagecoach that took travellers to Edinburgh twice a week. At the turn of the 20th century the building was bought and renamed Sloans Arcade Café and was transformed into a venue that hosted a bar, dining rooms, the Grand Ballroom and even an aquarium. Over the years it has become an iconic central Glasgow location.
There has been lots of restoration work done to the Grade A Listed building and today, visitors can see many of the original features. The food and drink is always great and you can try local favourites such as beer battered fish or haggis, neeps and tatties. And if you’re looking to experience a bit of traditional Scottish culture, I highly recommend going on a Friday when they have the Friday Night Ceilidh. This evening of music and dance in the Grand Ballroom is one of the liveliest things to do in the city!
3. Experience the history of Glasgow at the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum.
Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum is one of Scotland’s most popular attractions situated in one of Glasgow’s most beautiful buildings. The museum first opened in 1901 for the Glasgow International Exhibition and over the years has become a beloved cultural centre of the city. The red sandstone building (a very common feature in Glaswegian architecture) was constructed in the Spanish Baroque style and looks magnificently over Kelvingrove Park. Inside the building, the architecture is just as impressive, and its rooms contain some of the country’s most significant artworks and artifacts on display.
Kelvingrove Museum has quite an eclectic collection from different places and time periods. One of my favourite areas is the Scottish history area, which includes displays showcasing Scotland’s First People, to Robert the Bruce, through to Mary Queen of Scots, the Jacobites and more. I also love the Mackintosh gallery, which explores the work of one of Glasgow’s most famous architects and designers, Charles Rennie Mackintosh. The museum also has quite a significant art collection, including Salvador Dali’s Christ of St John of The Cross. There are also some great areas for kids to explore including areas on Ancient Egypt and Scotland’s wildlife. One of the great things about Scotland is that many public museums are free, including Kelvingrove. Although, if you’re able to, donations go a long way to supporting the museum.
4. See the medieval University of Glasgow.
One of the most impressive sights in the west end of the city is the University of Glasgow. The university was founded in 1451 although it hasn’t always been in its current location. The University of Glasgow was originally located on High Street, in the city centre, but in the 1870s was moved to Glasgow’s west end, where it stands today on Gilmorehill. A number of renowned individuals have studied at the University of Glasgow including 18th century economist Adam Smith, suffragette Elizabeth Lyness, William Thomson, Lord Kelvin, as well as Scotland’s current Prime Minister Nicola Sturgeon.
Today, the University of Glasgow grounds are open to the public and are beautiful to explore. You will often hear people mention “Hogwarts” when referencing the university buildings and the Gothic revival style certainly gives it that feel. The buildings are fascinating because some elements of the original campus were actually picked up and moved to the west end location, although much was the building was constructed in the 19th century. I would highly recommend going to look around the Cloisters, which contain a number of picturesque arches and have been featured in television shows like Outlander.
5. Explore a Victorian cemetery at the Glasgow Necropolis.
One of Glasgow’s more spooky attractions is the Victorian cemetery known as the Glasgow Necropolis. The cemetery consists of 37-acres and is the final resting place for over 50,000 Glaswegians. The cemetery was built during the 19th century, during a time when Victorians had a particular fascination with the idea of death and the ceremony that surrounds it. The Glasgow Necropolis is a beautiful example of a “garden cemetery” which rose in popularity during the Victorian period as they were built outside of cities to deal with the overcrowding of cemeteries within the cities. Perhaps the most famous example of a garden cemetery is Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris, France.
Many notable Glaswegians are buried in the Glasgow Necropolis and there are a number of impressive tombstones to explore. Some of the most prominent burials include Hugh Tennent (the first producer of Scotland’s Tennent’s Lager), Isabella Elder (an important Glaswegian philanthropist) as well as well as William Miller (the author of Wee Willie Winkie). Across from the Glasgow Necropolis is the Glasgow Cathedral, which is also worth visiting, as it is the only remaining medieval cathedral on the Scottish mainland to have survived the Protestant Reformation in the 16th century.
6. Wander down the cobblestone street of Ashton Lane.
Another picturesque location in Glasgow’s west end is the historic Ashton Lane. Ashton Lane is an old cobblestone street located near the University of Glasgow that was originally home to Victorian housing, stables and workshops. It wasn’t until the 1970s, when the popular Glasgow restaurant Ubiquitous Chip opened on the lane, that it began to thrive. Over the past 40 years the lane has grown to contain a number of bars and restaurants and is now often referred to as the centre of nightlife in the west end. Today, visitors can still have a meal at the Ubiquitous Chip, or enjoy a drink and some food in one of the other venues. You’re also only a few steps from Byres Road, which is one of the most popular streets in Glasgow’s west end and contains a number of shops, bars and restaurants.
7. Have an Indian curry in the city where the Chicken Tikka Masala was invented.
One of my favourite things to do in Glasgow is go for an Indian curry. Curry is one of the most popular foods in the city and I find it just doesn’t taste as good anywhere else! Glasgow is also believed to be the city where the Chicken Tikka Masala was invented, at one of Glasgow’s oldest Indian restaurants, Shish Mahal.
There are a number of great curry restaurants across the city but I have to say that ones of the best meals I’ve ever had was at Mother India, located in Glasgow’s west end. Mother India was open in 1990 and prides itself on their authentic, traditional, home-made recipes. Another great historical Indian restaurant is Ashoka, which was established in 1972 and has a number of locations across the city. And if you haven’t tried curry before and aren’t sure about spicy food, don’t worry! There are number of different curries you can try that range from extremely mild to blow-your-head-off spicy!
8. Learn about social history at the People’s Palace.
One of my favourite museums in Glasgow is the People’s Palace. Located on the historic Glasgow Green (Scotland’s oldest public park), the People’s Palace takes a look at the social history of the city from 1750 onwards. What I love about this museum is that it tells the stories of real, everyday people living in Glasgow and what life has been like in the city over the past couple hundred years.
The building originally opened in the 19th century but has been a social history museum since the 1940s. Today, the collections include a number of different artifacts, objects and information on aspects of cultural life in the city. Visitors can explore the history of entertainment, industry, technology, politics and home life. One of my favourite areas is the “single end“, which gives a glimpse into tenement life in Glasgow in the early 20th century. If visiting, I would just note that at the moment, there are restoration works taking place, so some areas might not be open.
9. Attend a concert at the Barrowland Ballroom.
Growing up, the Barrowland Ballroom was a place that I heard many stories about from my Glaswegian Granddad. Often referred to as the ‘Barrowlands‘, the venue is a historic dancehall and popular place for live music. The Barrowland Ballroom opened in 1934 in Glasgow’s east end and, along with the rest of the area, is named after the Barrowland Market, commonly referred to as ‘The Barras‘. Over the next couple decades, the venue became a popular dance hall and is where my grandparents spent many a night socializing with friends. The People’s Palace actually has a very interesting exhibit on ‘Dancing at the Barrowlands‘ and the important role the venue played in Glasgow’s mid-20th century social scene.
Today, the Barrowland Ballroom remains a popular entertainment venue and still features the iconic neon sign out front. Unfortunately, much of the original building was destroyed by a fire in 1958, but was rebuilt and re-opened in 1960. If in Glasgow, it’s worth checking out what concerts are on while you’re there. A number of well-known artists have played the venue, including U2, David Bowie, The Clash, Foo Fighters, Snow Patrol and more. I would also recommend visiting The Barras Market, which is open to the public on the weekends.
10. Escape the city at Pollok Country Park.
Pollok Country Park is one of my favourite places to visit in Glasgow, because you don’t even need to leave the city to escape it! Pollok Country Park is a peaceful sanctuary located on the south side of the city and contains not only one, but two fascinating historical attractions. The first, is Pollok House, a grand stately home that sits on the site inhabited by the Maxwell family for six centuries. Today, visitors can explore both the upstairs and downstairs rooms of Pollok House, which gives an insight into the Edwardian life of the gentry in Glasgow. The Edwardian Kitchen is also a lovely place to stop for a tea and a traditional scone.
Also located in Pollok Country Park is The Burrell Collection, which showcases the collection of Glasgow shipping merchant, Sir William Burrell. Burrell was a prominent figure in Glasgow during the late 19th and 20th centuries and was also a keen collector of arts and artifacts. During his life, he was determined to contribute to the advancement of Glasgow as a culturally significant city and, along with his wife Constance, gifted his Collection to the City of Glasgow. The Burrell Collection contains around 9,000 objects that include medieval artifacts, Chinese art, tapestries, armour as well as paintings by notable artists such as Edgar Degas and Édouard Manet. Burrell was not only extremely passionate about pieces in the collection, but also how they were placed and presented. The museum recently underwent a massive renovation project to further enhance Burrell’s vision for the Collection.
Bonus: Visit the iconic Duke of Wellington Statue.
A visit to Glasgow isn’t complete with a visit to the city’s most famous statue, erected as a monument to the Duke of Wellington. While the statue itself has historical significance, it’s the more modern twist to it that makes it so special. The statue was erected in 1844 outside of the Royal Exchange Building (now the Gallery of Modern Art) to honour Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington. Today, visitors will notice the orange traffic cone that sits atop the Duke’s head.
The cone is a result of “cone-capping” a humorous tradition, believed to have started in the 1980s. This involves placing traffic cones on top of statues, usually done after a few drinks. The cone on the Duke of Wellington Statue has been placed and removed countless times over the years, but the determination of the pranksters of Glasgow has prevailed. The cone has become such a symbol of humour and spirit of Glaswegians that there was even a petition to save the cone after the City Council put forward restoration plans in 2013. Authorities seem to have given in, and today you’ll still find this quirky little symbol of the city still prominently sitting atop the Duke’s head. Much like the city of Glasgow, the cone-capped statue is just waiting to lift your spirits.
Second Bonus: Have a whisky in an old church converted into a bar at Òran Mór.
As Glasgow is my second home, I also decided to include a second bonus because it was one of my favourite things to do while living in the city. In my opinion, one of the coolest pubs in Glasgow is Òran Mór. Scottish Gaelic for “Big Song”, Òran Mór is one of the most popular venues in the city’s west end. Built in 1872, the building was originally a church and remained so until 1978. After a few years of laying derelict, restoration works began on the building in 2002 and Òran Mór officially opened to the public in 2004.
Today, Òran Mór is a great place to go for food and drink. The inside of the building still very much looks like a church and provides a wonderful historical atmosphere. One of the highlights of Òran Mór is the extensive Scotch whisky collection. When I lived there, there was often a a “Malt of the Month” special which featured some excellent whiskies to try. Òran Mór has also evolved into an entertainment venue and hosts “A Play, A Pie and A Pint” at lunchtime where for around £15 you get exactly that… a ticket to a show that also includes a pie and alcoholic beverage.
Visit here to learn more about Òran Mór.
This article’s information was last updated in October 2022.