Visiting Glasgow
Scotland’s largest city, Glasgow has a population of about 600,000, with the Greater Glasgow urban area including some 1.2 million people.
As well as being the largest urban area in Scotland, Glasgow is also the fifth largest in the United Kingdom.
Formerly famous for its heavy engineering, most notably shipbuilding, Glasgow is now one of Europe’s top ten financial centres, with many of the world’s leading businesses having bases in the city.
There are a host of things to do in and around Glasgow, you can find out more using the links below.
History and culture
Some fascinating facts about Glasgow the “friendly city”, the host city for the 11th Scottish Dental Show.
- ‘Braveheart’ William Wallace is reputed to have been born in the Renfrewshire village of Elderslie.
- Glasgow City Chambers features a miniature version of the Statue of Liberty and also contains more marble than the Vatican.
- Robert Carlyle was originally a Glasgow house painter prior to becoming a major television and cinema actor.
- Billy Connolly, the comedian and actor, was born in Partick in Glasgow in 1942.
- In 1939, Glasgow had 114 picture houses, seating in excess of 175,000; more cinema seats per head than any other city in the world. The average Glaswegian would go an incredible 51 times per year!
- Charles Rennie Mackintosh, the world-famous architect and designer, was born in Glasgow in 1868. His work can be seen in many locations in and around the city.
- Charles Macintosh, inventor of the waterproof coat, lived and worked in Glasgow where, in 1824, he was responsible for the first commercial manufacture of the waterproof material.
- Paisley Museum houses the world’s largest collection of Paisley Pattern shawls.
- The Cunard Shipping Line was founded in Glasgow and the liners Queen Mary, Queen Elizabeth, QE2 and the Royal Yacht Britannia were all built on the River Clyde at Clydebank.
- John Logie Baird, inventor of television, transmitted the first long-distance TV pictures from a room in the Central Hotel, Glasgow.
