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Glasgow

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: Geography of Great
Britain

   Coordinates: 55°51′32″N, 04°15′35″W
                     Glasgow
   Gaelic:                  Glaschu
   Scots:                   Glesca, Glesgae
                    Location
   OS grid reference:       NS590655
                   Statistics
   Population:              585,090
   Metropolitan Population: 1,749,154
                 Administration
   Council area:            Glasgow City
   Constituent country:     Scotland
   Sovereign state:         United Kingdom
                      Other
   Police force:            Strathclyde Police
   Lieutenancy area:        Glasgow
   Former county:           Lanarkshire
            Post office and telephone
   Post town:               GLASGOW
   Postal district:         G1-G81
   Dialling code:           0141
                    Politics
   UK Parliament:           Glasgow Central
                            Glasgow East
                            Glasgow North
                            Glasgow North East
                            Glasgow North West
                            Glasgow South
                            Glasgow South West
   Scottish Parliament:     Glasgow region:
                            Glasgow Anniesland
                            Glasgow Baillieston
                            Glasgow Cathcart
                            Glasgow Govan
                            Glasgow Kelvin
                            Glasgow Maryhill
                            Glasgow Pollok
                            Glasgow Rutherglen
                            Glasgow Shettleston
                            Glasgow Springburn
   European Parliament:     Scotland
          Scotland               Scotland

   Glasgow (Glaschu in Gaelic; or Glesca/Glesga in Scots) is the largest
   city in Scotland. The City of Glasgow is also the most populous unitary
   authority area. It is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west
   central lowlands. People from Glasgow are known as Glaswegians.
   Glaswegian is also the name of the local dialect of Scots, which is
   popularly referred to as "the Glasgow Patter".

   The city was formerly a royal burgh, and was known as the " Second City
   of the British Empire" in the Victorian era. It established itself as a
   major transatlantic trading port during the Industrial Revolution. The
   Clyde was the world's pre-eminent shipbuilding centre, building many
   revolutionary and famous vessels such as the Cunard liners RMS
   Lusitania, RMS Aquitania, RMS Queen Mary, RMS Queen Elizabeth, RMS
   Queen Elizabeth 2, and the Royal Yacht Britannia.

   The city grew in the late 19th and early 20th centuries to a population
   of over one million people, peaking at 1,088,000 in 1931. However, with
   population decline, due to both the large scale relocation of people to
   new towns like East Kilbride and Cumbernauld on the outskirts of the
   city, and successive boundary changes by the Scottish Office and UK
   governments, the current population of the City of Glasgow itself is
   585,090 and 1,168,270 in the urban areas surrounding the city, based on
   the 2001 census. Around 2,300,000 people live in the Greater Glasgow
   conurbation, defined as the City of Glasgow and the surrounding region.

   Glasgow is the third most popular foreign tourist destination in the UK
   after London and Edinburgh. The city also has Scotland's largest and
   most economically important commerce and retail sector. Glasgow is also
   one of Europe's top 16 financial centres and is home to many of the
   country's leading businesses.

Etymology

   It is common to derive the name Glasgow from the older Brythonic glas
   cau or a Middle Gaelic cognate, which would have meant green hollow.
   The settlement probably had an earlier Cumbric name, Cathures; the
   modern name appears for the first time in the Gaelic period (1116), as
   Glasgu. However, it is also recorded that the King of Strathclyde,
   Rhydderch Hael, welcomed Saint Mungo (also known as Saint Kentigern),
   and procured his consecration as bishop, which took place about 540.
   For some thirteen years Kentigern laboured in the region, building his
   church at the Molendinar Burn, and making many converts. A large
   community developed around him and became known as Glasgu (meaning the
   dear family). The confusion between the terms is not wholly resolved
   (Dear Family vs. Dear Green Place vs. Green Hollow).

   Dear Green Place (Glaschu) is often misquoted as a Gaelic translation
   for the city, but this was actually Daniel Defoe's description of the
   city when he visited in the early 18th century; he also claimed that
   Glasgow was "the paradise of Scotland and one of the cleanliest and
   best built cities in Britain." Another writer of the time said of the
   River Clyde: "I have never seen before any river which for natural
   beauty can stand competition with the Clyde. Never did a stream glide
   more gracefully to the ocean or through a fairer region." At that time,
   the city's population numbered approximately 12,000, and its structures
   largely consisted of compact wooden buildings, none of which remain
   today.

Heraldry

   Glasgow's Coat of Arms dates back to 1866 when the Lord Lyon first
   granted the city its patent. The Coat of Arms commemorates Glasgow's
   patron saint, Mungo, and includes four emblems — a bird, a tree, a
   bell, and a salmon with a ring in its mouth. The emblems represent
   miracles supposed to have been performed by Mungo and are listed in the
   following traditional rhyme:

                            Here's the bird that never flew
                            Here's the tree that never grew
                            Here's the bell that never rang
                            Here's the fish that never swam

   The supporters are two salmon bearing rings, and the shield bearing the
   four motifs is surmounted by a castle (or sometimes a helm) above which
   is St Mungo himself.

   The motto of the city, taken from a sermon preached by Mungo, is Let
   Glasgow Flourish, a shortened version of Lord, Let Glasgow flourish by
   the preaching of the word and the praising of thy name. The motto was
   more recently commemorated in a song called "Mother Glasgow", written
   by Dundonian songwriter Michael Marra, and popularised by Hue and Cry.

Geography and climate

   Glasgow is located on the banks of the River Clyde, in West Central
   Scotland.

Climate

   Glasgow weather is typical of Scottish weather and often unpredictable.

   The summer months (May to September) are often mild but unpredictable.
   The winds are generally westerly, due to the warm Gulf Stream. The
   warmest month is usually July, averaging 19°C (66.2°F). However,
   temperature can change suddenly, and is normally a few degrees colder
   than southern England. Mornings may be damp and misty, or dreich (a
   Scottish term for damp and drizzly), but become sunny and warm by
   afternoon.

   Though there are some rainy and windy days, spring (March to May) is
   fairly mild. Many of Glasgow's trees begin to flower at this time of
   the year and the parks and gardens are filled with spring colour.

   Winters can be damp with few sunny days; however the Gulf Stream
   ensures that Glasgow stays warmer than other cities at the same
   latitude. Winds can be chilling and cold, though severe snowfalls are
   infrequent and do not last. December, January and February are the
   wettest months of the year, but can occasionally be sunny and clear.

Temperature

   CAPTION: Climate Table

   Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
   Average maximum daily temperature ( °C) 6 7 8 11 15 17 19 18 16 12 9 7
   Average minimum daily temperature ( °C) 1 1 2 3 6 9 11 11 8 6 3 2
   Mean daily temperature ( °C) 4 4 6 7 11 13 15 14 12 9 6 4
   Average maximum daily temperature ( °F) 43 45 46 52 59 63 66 64 61 54
   48 45
   Average minimum daily temperature ( °F) 34 34 36 37 43 48 52 52 46 43
   37 36
   Mean daily temperature ( °F) 39 39 43 45 45 55 55 57 54 48 43 39
   Source: Source:

Demographics

   The actual city council area of Glasgow peaked in population the 1930s
   with a population of 1,088,000 people and for over 50 years was over
   1.3 million people. However, after the peak of the 1930s the population
   declined, due to relocation to the 'new towns' in clearings of the
   poverty-stricken inner city areas like the Gorbals. Glasgow was during
   this period of its history one of the most densely populated cities in
   the world. In addition, successive boundary changes reduced the
   official city boundaries (and hence official population) making direct
   comparisons difficult as the city continues to expand beyond the
   official city council boundaries into surrounding suburban areas,
   emcompassing nearly 400 square miles if all adjoining suburbs, commuter
   towns and villages are included.

   There are two distinct definitions for the population of Glasgow; the
   Glasgow City Council Area (which lost the district of Rutherglen to
   South Lanarkshire and the Greater Glasgow Urban Area which includes the
   urban cornubation around the city.
            Location          Population  Area
                                         (km²)  Density
                                                (/km²)
   Glasgow City Council       585,090    175.49 33.34
   Greater Glasgow Urban Area 1,168,270  368.47 37.70

   Source

   Since the 2001 census the population decline has stabilised and the
   population of both the City of Glasgow council area and Greater Glasgow
   are forecast to grow in the near future (the 2004 population of the
   City of Glasgow council area was 585,090). However when all suburbs and
   other towns forming the conurbation in the Glasgow area are included
   the population almost doubles in number.

   Compared to Inner London (22,438 people per sq mile), Scotland's major
   city has less than half the current population density of the English
   capital (8,528). However, in 1931 the population density was 16,011,
   highlighting the 'clearances' of the inner city to the suburbs and new
   towns that were built to empty one of Europe's most densely populated
   cities.

History

   Recent years have seen a regeneration of Glasgow's river banks. Salmon
   and other marine-life have now returned to the Clyde
   Enlarge
   Recent years have seen a regeneration of Glasgow's river banks. Salmon
   and other marine-life have now returned to the Clyde

   The area of Glasgow has long been used for settlement due to the River
   Clyde providing a natural area for fishing. Glasgow became important in
   the 12th century as the site of a bishopric, reorganized by King David
   I of Scotland and John, Bishop of Glasgow. There had been an earlier
   religious site the exact age of which is unknown. According to doubtful
   hagiographical tradition, this ecclesiatical site had been established
   by Saint Kentigern. The bishopric became one of the largest and
   wealthiest in the Kingdom of Scotland, bringing wealth and status to
   the town. Somewhere between 1175 and 1178 this position was
   strengthened even further when Bishop Jocelin obtained for the
   episcopal settlement the status of burgh from King William the Lion,
   allowing the settlement to expand with the benefits of trading
   monopolies and other legal guarantees. Sometime between 1189 and 1195
   this status was supplemented by an annual fair, which survives to this
   day as the Glasgow Fair.

   Glasgow grew over the following centuries, and the founding of the
   University of Glasgow in 1451 and elevation of the bishopric to an
   archbishopric in 1492 increasing the town's religious and educational
   status. In the 16th century Glasgow became prominent in international
   trading as a hub of trade to the Americas, especially in the movement
   of tobacco, cotton and sugar. The industries of Scotland produced
   textiles, coal and steel, which were exported. Shipbuilding became a
   major industry on the Clyde, building many famous ships. By the end of
   the 19th century the city was known as the "Second City of the Empire"
   and was producing most of the ships and locomotives in the world.
   During this period, the construction of many of the city's greatest
   architectural masterpieces and most ambitious civic projects were being
   funded by its wealth.

   The 20th century showed a great decline in the city's fortunes,
   especially with the effects of two World Wars and the Great Depression.
   The city's industries became uncompetitive, leading to high
   unemployment, urban decay and poor health for the city's inhabitants.
   At the end of the Second World War there were active attempts at
   regeneration of the city, when the Glasgow Corporation published its
   Bruce Report which set out a comprehensive series of initiatives aimed
   at turning round the decline of the city.

   By the end of the century there had been a significant resurgence in
   Glasgow's economic fortunes, finding a new role as a European centre
   for business and finance, as well an increase in tourism. The latter
   due to the legacy of the city's status as European City of Culture in
   1990, and the product of its thriving artistic community. The ongoing
   regeneration of inner-city areas has led to people moving back to live
   in the centre of Glasgow, although some areas of the city remain
   amongst the most deprived in the UK.

Districts

   Glasgow was historically based around Glasgow Cathedral, the old High
   Street and down to the River Clyde via Glasgow Cross.

City centre

   The city centre is bounded by the High Street to the east, the River
   Clyde to the south and the M8 motorway to the west and north which was
   built through the Charing Cross and Anderston areas in the 1960s.
   Buchanan Street looking southward.
   Enlarge
   Buchanan Street looking southward.

Retail and theatre district

   The City Centre is based on a grid system of streets, similar to that
   of Barcelona or an American city, on the north bank of the River Clyde.
   The heart of the city is George Square, site of many of Glasgow's
   public statues and the elaborate Victorian Glasgow City Chambers,
   headquarters of Glasgow City Council. To the south and west are the
   shopping precincts of Argyle, Sauchiehall and Buchanan Streets. The
   main shopping malls are Buchanan Galleries and the St Enoch Centre, as
   well as the more specialised, designer malls; Princes' Square and the
   Italian Centre. The London-based department stores, Selfridges and
   Harvey Nichols are planning to open in the city, further strengthening
   Glasgow's already impressive retail portfolio, which forms the UK's
   largest and most economically important commerce and retail sector
   after London's West End. The layout of the approximately two and a half
   mile long retail district of Buchanan Street, Sauchiehall Street and
   Argyle Street has been termed the "Golden Z". In October 2005 retail
   locations in the area were sought after to the extent that Buchanan
   Street had the 7th highest shop rental fees in the world.

   The city centre is home to most of Glasgow's main cultural venues: The
   Theatre Royal (home of Scottish Opera and Scottish Ballet), The
   Pavilion, The King's Theatre, Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Glasgow Film
   Theatre, RSAMD, GoMA, Mitchell Library, the Centre for Contemporary
   Arts, McLellan Galleries and The Lighthouse Museum of Architecture,
   Design and the City. The world's tallest cinema, the 18 screen
   Cineworld is sited on Renfrew Street. The city centre is also home to
   two of Glasgow's three universities: Strathclyde and Glasgow Caledonian
   University.

Merchant City

   To the east is the commercial and residential district of Merchant
   City, which was formerly the residential district of the wealthy City
   Merchants in the 18th and early 19th centuries. As the Industrial
   Revolution and the wealth it brought to the city resulted in the
   expansion of Glasgow's central area westward, the original medieval
   centre was left behind. This area, commonly known as "Old Glasgow"
   takes in the eastern fringes of the Merchant City and some of the East
   End. Glasgow Cross, situated at the junction of High Street,
   Gallowgate, Trongate and Saltmarket was the original centre of the
   city. In the Cross sits the Tolbooth clock tower; all that remains of
   the original City Chambers, which was destroyed by fire in 1926. Moving
   northward up High Street towards Rottenrow and Townhead lies the 15th
   Century Glasgow Cathedral and the Provand's Lordship. Latterly, due to
   growing industrial pollution levels in the mid to late 19th century,
   the area fell out of favour with residents, who mostly moved to the
   newly developed West End and South Side districts.

   From the late 1980s onwards, the area has been rejuvenated with luxury
   city centre apartments and warehouse conversions. Many new cafes and
   restaurants have opened. The area also contains the old Tolbooth, The
   Tron Theatre, The Old Fruitmarket, The Trades Hall, and the City Halls.

   The area is also home to Glasgow's growing 'Arts Quarter', based around
   the Saltmarket and Trongate, and at the heart of the annual Merchant
   City Festival.

   A large part of Glasgow's gay scene is located within the Merchant City
   area. This includes Polo Lounge, MODA, Delmonicas and Clone Zone.

   Recently the city council defined (and perhaps expanded) the area known
   as Merchant City as far West as Buchanan Street, marking these
   boundaries with new, highly stylised metal signage.

Financial district

   To the western edge of the city centre, occupying the areas of
   Blythswood Hill and Anderston, and along the Broomielaw, lies Glasgow's
   financial district, known as the "square kilometre" or more officially
   the International Financial Services District (IFSD). Since the late
   1980's the ISFD has grown to become the third largest financial centre
   in the UK after the The City of London and Edinburgh. With a reputation
   as an established financial services centre, coupled with comprehensive
   support services, Glasgow continues to attract and grow new business.
   Of the 10 largest general insurance companies in the UK, 8 have a base
   or Head office in Glasgow - including Direct Line, AXA and Norwich
   Union. Key banking sector companies have also relocated to commercial
   property in Glasgow - Abbey, HBOS, National Australia Bank and the
   Royal Bank of Scotland.

   Since the late 1980s, this area of the city centre has seen the
   construction of many ultra-modern office blocks, a trend which
   continues into the 21st century with a new wave of high rise
   developments currently on the drawing board.

The West End

   Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum is Glasgow's premier museum and art
   gallery, housing one of Europe's great civic art collections.
   Enlarge
   Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum is Glasgow's premier museum and art
   gallery, housing one of Europe's great civic art collections.

   Glasgow's West End refers to the bohemian district of cafés, bars,
   boutique's, upmarket hotels, clubs and restaurants in the hinterland of
   Kelvingrove Park. The west End's main thouroughfare is Byres Road and
   one of the star attractions is known as Ashton Lane. The west end has
   many diferent districts within it like, the University of Glasgow, BBC
   Scotland's Headquarters, Glasgow Botanic Gardens and the Scottish
   Exhibition and Conference Centre. The district is home to some of the
   wealthiest addresses in the country. The West End includes the upmarket
   residential areas of Hillhead, Dowanhill, Kelvingrove, Kelvinside,
   Hyndland and Jordanhill, the commercial and social area around Byres Rd
   and, to a lesser extent, Partick (a more working class area). However
   the name is now being used to mean anywhere to the west of Charing
   Cross. This includes areas like Kelvinbridge, Kelvindale and
   Anniesland. The spire of Sir George Gilbert Scott's Glasgow University
   main building (the second largest Gothic Revival building in Britain)
   is a major local landmark, and can be seen for miles around, sitting
   atop Gilmorehill. The University itself is the fourth oldest in the
   English-speaking world, after Oxford, Cambridge and St. Andrews. Much
   of the city's student population is based in the West End, adding to
   its cultural vibrancy.

   The area is also home to the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum,
   Hunterian Museum, Kelvin Hall International Sports Arena, Henry Wood
   Hall (home of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra) and the Museum of
   Transport, which is to be rebuilt on an old dockland site at Glasgow
   Harbour to a design by Zaha Hadid. The West End Festival, one of
   Glasgow's biggest festivals, is held annually in June.

   Glasgow is Europe's fastest growing conference and events destination,
   and the SECC is the UK's largest exhibition and conference centre. A
   major expansion of the SECC facilities at the former Queens Dock by
   Foster and Partners is currently planned, including a 12,000 seat
   arena, and a 5 star hotel and entertainments complex.

   The area is served by bus, rail and the Glasgow Subway.

The East End

   The People's Palace in Glasgow Green.
   Enlarge
   The People's Palace in Glasgow Green.

   The East End is home to the famous Glasgow Barrowland market, popularly
   known as 'The Barras', and Barrowland Ballroom music hall, Glasgow
   Green, and Celtic Park, home of Celtic Football Club. Many of the
   original sandstone tenements remain in this district. The East End in
   contrast to the West end, includes some of the most deprived areas in
   the UK. However, many areas of the district are not deprived in any
   way.

   The Glasgow Necropolis cemetery was created on a hill above the
   cathedral of St Mungo in 1831. Routes curve through the landscape
   uphill to the 62 metre high statue of John Knox at the summit, with
   some tombs designed by prominent local architect Alexander 'Greek'
   Thomson. The design creates a dramatic skyline of obelisks, pinnacles
   and statues in memory of Glasgow's wealthiest inhabitants. It was
   described by James Curle as 'literally a city of the dead'. The main
   entrance is approached by a bridge over what was the Molendinar Burn
   towards an impressive set of classical mausolea. The bridge, designed
   by James Hamilton, is known as the Bridge of Sighs because it formed
   the route of funeral processions.

   There are two late 18th century tenements in Gallowgate. Dating from
   1771 and 1780, both have been well restored. The construction of
   Charlotte Street was financed by David Dale, whose former pretensions
   can be gauged by the one remaining house, now run by the National Trust
   for Scotland. Further along Charlotte Street there stands a modern GKC
   building of some note. Once a school, it has been converted into flats.
   Surrounding these buildings are a series of innovative housing
   developments conceived as 'Homes for the Future', part of a project
   during the city's year as UK City of Architecture and Design in 1999.

   East of Glasgow Cross is the magnificent St Andrews Church, built in
   1746 and displaying a Presbyterian grandeur befitting the church of the
   city's wealthy Tobacco merchants. Also close by is the more modest
   Episcopalian St Andrews-by-the-Green, the oldest post-Reformation
   church in Scotland.

   Overlooking Glasgow Green is the façade of Templeton's carpet factory,
   featuring vibrant polychromatic brickwork intended to evoke the Doge's
   Palace in Venice.

   The extensive Tollcross Park was originally developed from the estate
   of James Dunlop, the owner of a local Steelworks. His large baronial
   mansion was built in 1848 by David Bryce, which later housed the city's
   Children's Museum until the 1980s. Today, the mansion is a sheltered
   housing complex.

   The new Scottish National Indoor Sports Arena, a modern replacement for
   the Kelvin Hall, is planned for Dalmarnock. If the 2014 Commonwealth
   Games bid is successful, the area will house the Athletes' Village,
   adjacent to the new indoor sports arena.

   To the north of the East End lie the two massive gasometers of Provan
   Gas Works, which stand overlooking Alexandra Park and a major
   interchange between the M8 and M80 motorways. Often used for displaying
   large city advertising slogans, the towers have become an unofficial
   portal into the city for road users arriving from the North and East.

The South Side

   The Burrell Collection is one of the city's top cultural attractions.
   Enlarge
   The Burrell Collection is one of the city's top cultural attractions.

   Glasgow's South Side, the largest area of the city, sprawls out south
   of the Clyde, and outwith the local council's jurisdiction, covering
   areas including The Gorbals, Shawlands, Strathbungo, Mount Florida,
   Pollokshaws, Nitshill, Pollokshields, Queens Park, Ibrox, Cessnock,
   Govan, Mansewood, Arden, Darnley, Pollok, Priesthill, Cathcart, Busby,
   Clarkston, Giffnock, Thornliebank and Newton Mearns.

   Although predominantly residential, the area does have several notable
   public buildings. Charles Rennie Mackintosh's Scotland Street School
   Museum and House for an Art Lover, the world famous Burrell Collection
   in Pollok Country Park, the National Football Stadium Hampden Park in
   Mount Florida and Ibrox Stadium, home of Rangers. The former docklands
   site at Pacific Quay on the south bank of the River Clyde, opposite the
   SECC, is the site of the Glasgow Science Centre and the new
   headquarters for BBC Scotland and SMG plc (owner of stv) which are
   relocating there to a new purpose built digital media campus.

   In addition, several new bridges spanning the River Clyde have been
   built or are currently planned, including The Clyde Arc at Pacific Quay
   and others at Tradeston and Springfield Quay.

   The South Side also includes many great parks, including Linn Park,
   Queens Park, Bellahouston Park and Rouken Glen Park, and several golf
   clubs, including the championship course at Haggs Castle. The South
   Side is also home to Pollok Country Park, which is Glasgow’s largest
   park and the only Country Park within the city boundaries.

   Govan is a district and former burgh in the south-western part of the
   city. It is situated on the south bank of the River Clyde, opposite
   Partick. It was an administratively independent Police Burgh from 1864
   until it was incorporated into the expanding city of Glasgow in 1912.

   Govan has a great legacy as an engineering and shipbuilding centre of
   international repute and is home to one of two BAE Systems shipyards on
   the River Clyde and the precision engineering firm, Thales Optronics.
   It is also home to the Southern General Hospital, one of the largest
   teaching hospitals in the country, and the maintenance depot for the
   Glasgow Subway system.

North Glasgow

   North Glasgow extends out from the north of the City Centre towards the
   affluent suburbs of Bearsden, Milngavie, Bishopbriggs and Lenzie in
   East Dunbartonshire. However, it also contains some of the city's
   poorest residential areas. Possilpark is one such area, where levels of
   unemployment and drug abuse continue to be above the national average.
   Much of the housing in areas such as Possilpark and Hamiltonhill had
   fallen into a state of disrepair in recent years. This has led to large
   scale redevelopment of much of the poorer housing stock in North
   Glasgow, and the wider regeneration of many areas, such as Ruchill,
   which have been transformed; many run-down tenements have now been
   refurbished or replaced by modern Housing estates.

   Much of the housing stock in North Glasgow is rented social housing,
   managed by the Glasgow Housing Association. In parts of the North of
   the city, such as Springburn, there are many high-rise tower blocks.
   These buildings were constructed in the 1960s and 1970s and were viewed
   as the answer to Glasgow’s inner-city slum problems, but are now widely
   discredited as being poorly built and unsuited to traditional urban
   living, and are held responsible by many for the social alienation that
   exists in the poorest parts of the city today.

   Not all areas of North Glasgow are of this nature however. Maryhill for
   example consists of well maintained traditional sandstone tenements.
   Although historically a working class area, its borders with the
   upmarket West End of the city mean that it is relatively wealthy
   compared to the rest of the North of the city, containing affluent
   areas such as Maryhill Park and North Kelvinside. Maryhill is also home
   to Firhill Stadium, home of Partick Thistle since 1909, and since 2005,
   the professional Rugby Union team, Glasgow Warriors. The junior team,
   Maryhill F.C. are also located in this part of North Glasgow.
   The Forth and Clyde Canal at the North Glasgow district of Ruchill.
   Enlarge
   The Forth and Clyde Canal at the North Glasgow district of Ruchill.

   The Forth and Clyde Canal passes through this part of the city, and at
   one stage formed a vital part of the local economy. It was for many
   years polluted and largely unused after the decline of heavy industry,
   but recent efforts to regenerate and re-open the canal to navigation
   have seen it rejuvenated.

   Sighthill is home to Scotland’s largest asylum seeker community, and
   despite some initial racial tensions between all the different racial
   and religious groups involved, there has been widespread praise about
   how this diverse new community has been able to integrate successfully.

   A huge part of the economic life of Glasgow was once located in
   Springburn, where the engineering works and locomotive workshops
   employed many Glaswegians. Indeed, Glasgow dominated the manufacturing
   of locomotives, with 25% of all the world’s trains being built in the
   area at one stage. It was home to the headquarters of the North British
   Locomotive Company. Today the engineering group Alstom's railway
   maintenance facility in the area is all that is left of the industry in
   Springburn.

Architecture

   The western façade of Templeton's Carpet Factory
   Enlarge
   The western façade of Templeton's Carpet Factory

   Very little of medieval Glasgow remains, the two main landmarks from
   this period being the 14th century Provand's Lordship and Glasgow
   Cathedral. The vast majority of the city as seen today dates from the
   19th century. As a result, Glasgow has an impressive heritage of
   Victorian architecture - the Glasgow City Chambers, the main building
   of the University of Glasgow, designed by Sir George Gilbert Scott, and
   the Glasgow School of Art, designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh, being
   outstanding examples. Another architect who had a great and enduring
   impact on the city's appearance was Alexander Thomson, who produced a
   distinctive architecture based on fundamentalist classicism that gave
   him the nickname "Greek". He was described as a "quiet, stay-at-home
   Victorian behind whose buttoned-up facade there seethed a kind of
   stylistic corsair who plundered the past for the greater glory of the
   present".

   The buildings reflect the wealth and self confidence of the residents
   of the "Second City of the Empire". Glasgow generated immense wealth
   from trade and the industries that developed from the Industrial
   Revolution. The shipyards, marine engineering, steel making, and heavy
   industry all contributed to the growth of the city. At one time the
   expression "Clydebuilt" was synonymous with quality and engineering
   excellence. The Templeton's Carpet Factory on Glasgow Green was
   designed to resemble the Doge's Palace in Venice. The allusions to
   another great trading city, seem appropriate.
   Charles Rennie Mackintosh's Glasgow School of Art
   Enlarge
   Charles Rennie Mackintosh's Glasgow School of Art

   Many of the city's most impressive buildings were built with red or
   blond sandstone, but during the industrial era those colours
   disappeared under a pervasive black layer of soot and pollutants from
   the furnaces.

   Tenements were built to house the workers who had migrated from Ireland
   and the Scottish Highlands in order to feed the local demand for
   labour; these tenements were often overcrowded and unsanitary, and many
   developed into the infamous Glasgow slums, the Gorbals area being one
   of the most notorious.
   The Glasgow Science Centre
   Enlarge
   The Glasgow Science Centre

   In recent years many of these buildings have been cleaned and restored
   to their original appearance. Others were demolished to make way for
   large, barrack-like housing estates, and high-rise flats in tower
   blocks. The latter were built in large numbers during the 1960s and
   early 1970s; Glasgow has a higher concentration of high-rise buildings
   than any other city in the British Isles. At 31 storeys, the Red Road
   flats in the north of the city were for many years the highest
   residential buildings in Europe. These housing estates, known as
   "schemes", are widely regarded as unsuccessful: many, such as
   Castlemilk, were just dormitories well away from the centre of the city
   with no amenities ("deserts wi' windaes" [deserts with windows], as
   Billy Connolly put it), and their establishment led to the split up of
   long established community relationships. Some of the high-rise
   developments were poorly designed and cheaply built and became magnets
   for crime. Over time some have become as bad as the slum areas that
   they replaced, though at the time of construction they were largely
   welcomed. On 7 March 2003, the Glasgow Housing Association took
   ownership of the housing stock from the city council, and has begun a
   programme of demolishing the worst of the tower blocks.

   Modern buildings in Glasgow include the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, and
   along the banks of the Clyde are the Glasgow Science Centre and the
   Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre, whose Clyde Auditorium was
   designed by Sir Norman Foster, and is affectionately known as the
   "Armadillo". Zaha Hadid has won a competition to design the new Museum
   of Transport, which will move to the waterfront. Shopping centres
   include the Buchanan Galleries, the glass pyramid of the St Enoch
   Centre, and the upmarket Princes Square.

   Given the history of high rises in Glasgow, the council's policy of
   allowing new tall buildings has attracted some controversy. The
   39-storey Elphinstone Place mixed-use skyscraper in Charing Cross, will
   be the tallest building in Scotland, and is scheduled to begin
   construction in mid 2006. Much development is taking place along the
   banks of the Clyde. Glasgow Harbour, which neighbours Partick is one of
   the largest residential developments. The second phase was unfavourably
   compared to the Red Road flats, but was granted planning permission.

Culture

   GoMA is the second most visited contemporary art gallery in the United
   Kingdom outside London
   Enlarge
   GoMA is the second most visited contemporary art gallery in the United
   Kingdom outside London

   The city has many amenities for a wide range of cultural activities,
   from curling to opera and from football to art appreciation; it also
   has a large selection of museums that include those devoted to
   transport, religion, and modern art. The city's principal library, the
   Mitchell Library, is the largest public reference library in Europe,
   currently housing some 1,213,000 volumes.

Theatres, museums and galleries

   Glasgow is home to a variety of theatres including The Kings Theatre,
   Theatre Royal and the Citizens Theatre and is home to many municipal
   museums and art galleries, the most famous being the Kelvingrove Art
   Gallery and Museum, the GoMA and the Burrell Collection.

Festivals and exhibitions

   The city has hosted many exhibitions over the years, including being
   the UK City of Achitecture 1999, European Capital of Culture 1990,
   National City of Sport 1995-1999 and European Capital of Sport 2003.

   In addition, unlike the Edinburgh Festival (where all Edinburgh's main
   festivals occur in the last three weeks of August), Glasgow's festivals
   virtually fill the entire calendar, from January through to December.
   Major festivals include the Glasgow Comedy Festival, Glasgow Jazz
   Festival, Celtic Connections, Glasgow Film Festival, West End Festival,
   Merchant City Festival, Glasgay, and the World Pipe Band Championships.

Music scene

   The Barrowland Ballroom in the east end of the city.
   Enlarge
   The Barrowland Ballroom in the east end of the city.

   Glasgow has many live music pubs, clubs and venues.

   Some of the city's main venues include the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall,
   the SECC and King Tut's Wah Wah Hut (where Oasis were spotted and
   signed by Glaswegian record mogul Alan McGee) and The Barrowlands, a
   historic ballroom, converted into a mecca of live music. The newest
   venue in the city is the ABC which, since opening in 2005, has featured
   bands such as The Fratellis and The Raconteurs. In the more alternative
   scene, the Cathouse often hosts gigs from a variety of Punk, Metal and
   Industrial bands. Glasgow is also home to a thriving electronic music
   scene, with a particularly strong reputation for techno and house
   music. Clubs like The Arches, The Sub Club and record labels such as
   Soma and Glasgow Underground have supported this strong underground
   movement for the past two decades in the city.

Sport

   Glasgow has a long sporting history, with the world's first
   international football match held in 1872 at the West of Scotland
   Cricket Club's Hamilton Crescent ground in the Partick area of Glasgow.
   The match was between Scotland and England and resulted in a 0–0 draw.
   It is the only city to have had two football teams competing in
   European finals in the same season: in 1967 Celtic were in the 1967
   European Cup final while at the same time Rangers were in the Cup
   Winners Cup final.

Football

   The city is home to Scotland's largest football stadia: Celtic Park
   (60,832 seats), Ibrox Stadium (51,082 seats) and Hampden Park (52,670
   seats), which is Scotland's national football stadium. Hampden Park
   holds the European record for attendance at a football match: 149,547
   saw Scotland beat England 3-1 in 1937, in the days before British
   stadiums became all-seated.

   Glasgow has three professional football clubs: Celtic and Rangers,
   which together make the Old Firm, and Partick Thistle. A fourth club,
   Queen's Park, is an amateur club that plays in the Scottish
   professional league system. It had two other professional clubs in the
   late 20th century: Clyde, which moved to Cumbernauld, and Third Lanark,
   which went bankrupt. There are a number of Scottish Junior Football
   Association clubs within the city as well, such as Pollok, Maryhill and
   Petershill, as well as countless numbers of amateur teams.

   The history of football in the city, as well as the status of the Old
   Firm, attracts many visitors to football matches in the city throughout
   the season. It is the only city in Europe with three stadia each with a
   capacity of at least 50,000 seats. Hampden Park and Ibrox have also
   been awarded UEFA 5 star status, meaning that they are capable of
   hosting the final of the Champions League. Celtic Park however does
   not, owing to the changing rooms in the listed South Stand being too
   small. Hampden has hosted the final on three occasions, most recently
   in 2002. Hampden will also host the UEFA Cup final in 2007. The
   Scottish Football Association, the national governing body, and the
   Scottish Football Museum are based in Glasgow, as are the Scottish
   Football League, Scottish Premier League, Scottish Junior Football
   Association and Scottish Amateur Football Association.
   Club Sport League Venue Logo Capacity
   Celtic Association Football Scottish Premier League Celtic Park Celtic
   Logo 60,832
   Partick Thistle Association Football Scottish Football League Firhill
   Stadium Partick Thistle Logo 10,887
   Queen's Park Association Football Scottish Football League Hampden Park
   Queen's Park Logo 52,500
   Rangers Association Football Scottish Premier League Ibrox Stadium
   Rangers Logo 51,082

Rugby

   Glasgow also boasts a professional rugby team, the Glasgow Warriors,
   which plays in the Celtic League alongside teams from Scotland, Ireland
   and Wales.

   In the Scottish Club leagues, Glasgow Hawks was formed in 1997 by the
   merger of two of Glasgow's oldest clubs: Glasgow Accademicals and
   Glasgow High Kelvinside (GHK). Despite the merger, the second division
   teams of Glasgow Accademicals and Glasgow High Kelvinside re-entered
   the Scottish Rugby League in 1998.
   Club Sport League Venue
   Glasgow Warriors Rugby Union Celtic League Firhill
   Glasgow Hawks Scottish Rugby Union BT Premier League Old Anniesland
   GHA Scottish Rugby Union BT Premier League Braidholm
   Glasgow Academicals Scottish Rugby Union BT National League New
   Anniesland
   Glasgow High Kelvinside (GHK) Scottish Rugby Union BT National League
   Old Anniesland

Other sports

   Major international sporting arenas include the Kelvin Hall and
   Scotstoun Sports Centre. In 2003 the National Academy for Badminton was
   completed in Scotstoun. In 2003 Glasgow was also given the title of
   European Capital of Sport.

   The Braehead Arena is home to leading professional basketball team, the
   Scottish Rocks, who compete in the British Basketball League. The arena
   was also host to the 2000 World Curling Championships.

   Smaller sporting facilities include an abundance of outdoor playing
   fields, as well as golf clubs such as Haggs Castle and artificial ski
   slopes. Between 1998 and 2004, the Scottish Claymores American football
   team played some or all of their home games each season at Hampden and
   the venue also hosted World Bowl XI.

   Befitting its strong Highland connections as the City of the Gael Baile
   Mòr nan Gàidheal, Glasgow is also one of five places in Scotland which
   hosts the final of the Scottish Cup of Shinty, better known as the
   Camanachd Cup. This is usually held at Old Anniesland. Once home to
   numerous Shinty clubs, there is now only one senior club in Glasgow,
   Glasgow Mid-Argyll, as well as two university sides from Strathclyde
   University and Glasgow University.

2014 Commonwealth Games bid

   Glasgow is currently bidding to host the Commonwealth Games in 2014. It
   would be based around a number of existing and new-built sporting
   venues across the city, including a revamped Hampden Park, with a
   Commonwealth Games village planned for the East End. This is Glasgow's
   first bid for the Games, and, if successful, would be Scotland's third
   Games. The previous two were held in Edinburgh in 1970 and 1986.

Religion

   Glasgow Cathedral marks the site where St. Mungo built his church and
   established Glasgow
   Enlarge
   Glasgow Cathedral marks the site where St. Mungo built his church and
   established Glasgow

   The city is a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic community with diverse
   religions.

   The Church of Scotland and the Catholic Church are the two largest
   Christian denominations in the city (in terms of membership). There are
   150 congregations in the Church of Scotland's Presbytery of Glasgow (of
   which 106 are within the City of Glasgow boundaries, the other 44 being
   in adjacent areas such as Giffnock).

   The Central Mosque in the Gorbals district is the largest mosque in
   Scotland and, along with 12 other mosques in the city, caters for the
   city's estimated 50,000 Muslim population. Glasgow also has seven
   synagogues. It has the fourth-largest Jewish population in the UK but
   once had a large Jewish population second only to London. Glasgow also
   has a Hindu Mandir and a new Sikh Temple is due to open in 2007.

   Glasgow opened the St Mungo Museum of Religious Life and Art in 1993,
   which is the only religious multi-faith museum in the world.

Cathedrals

   The city has four cathedrals:
     * Glasgow Cathedral (Church of Scotland)
     * St. Andrew's Cathedral (Roman Catholic)
     * St. Mary's Cathedral (Scottish Episcopal)
     * St. Luke's Cathedral (Greek Orthodox)

Other prominent religious buildings

     * Caledonia Road Church - designed by Alexander "Greek" Thomson
     * Queen's Cross Church - home of the Charles Rennie Mackintosh
       Society
     * St. Andrew's Church
     * St George's-Tron Church
     * St. Vincent Street Free Church - designed by Alexander "Greek"
       Thomson
     * Renfield - St. Stephen's Church
     * Wellington Church
     * Glasgow Central Mosque
     * Several Modernist Catholic Churches by Gillespie, Kidd & Coia

Religious rivalry

   Some sectarian rivalry still exists among certain elements of the
   population. Nowadays this is largely limited to the sporting rivalry
   between the supporters of Celtic and Rangers. The majority of Rangers
   supporters are nominally Protestant, while the majority of Celtic
   supporters are nominally Catholic.

Politics

   The City Chambers is the seat of local government in Glasgow
   Enlarge
   The City Chambers is the seat of local government in Glasgow

   Glasgow has a long history of supporting socialist ideas and politics.
   The city council has been controlled by the Labour Party for 30 years.
   Its socialist roots emanate from the city's days as an industrial
   powerhouse, and endure through the previously mentioned levels of
   relative poverty amongst many Glaswegians. In the aftermath of the
   Russian Revolution and the Easter Rising, the city's frequent strikes
   and revolutionary fervour caused serious alarm at Westminster, with one
   uprising in January 1919 prompting the Prime Minister, David Lloyd
   George to deploy 10,000 troops and tanks onto the city's streets. A
   huge demonstration in the city's George Square on January 31 ended in
   violence after the Riot Act was read.

   Later, industrial action at the shipyards gave rise to the " Red
   Clydeside" tag. During the 1930s, Glasgow was the main base of the
   Independent Labour Party. Towards the end of the 20th century it became
   a centre of the struggle against the poll tax, and then the main base
   of the Scottish Socialist Party, a left wing party in Scotland. The
   British Communist Party also have a notable following in the city of
   Glasgow in particular.

Scottish Parliament region

   See also: Glasgow Scottish Parliament region.

   The Glasgow electoral region of the Scottish Parliament covers the
   Glasgow City council area, the Rutherglen area of the South Lanarkshire
   and a small eastern portion of Renfrewshire. It elects ten of the
   parliament's 73 first past the post constituency members and seven of
   the 56 additional members. Both kinds of member are known as Members of
   the Scottish Parliament (MSPs). The system of election is designed to
   produce a form of proportional representation.

   The first past the post seats were created in 1999 with the names and
   boundaries of then existing Westminster ( House of Commons)
   constituencies. In 2005, however, the number of Westminster Members of
   Parliament (MPs) representing Scotland was cut to 59, with new
   constituencies being formed, while the existing number of MSPs was
   retained at Holyrood.

   The ten Scottish Parliament constituencies in the Glasgow electoral
   region are:-
     * Glasgow Anniesland
     * Glasgow Baillieston
     * Glasgow Cathcart
     * Glasgow Govan
     * Glasgow Kelvin
     * Glasgow Maryhill
     * Glasgow Pollok
     * Glasgow Rutherglen
     * Glasgow Shettleston
     * Glasgow Springburn

United Kingdom Parliament constituencies

   Following reform of constituencies of the House of Commons of the
   United Kingdom Parliament ( Westminster) in 2005, which reduced the
   number of Scottish Members of Parliament (MPs), the current Westminster
   constituencies representing Glasgow are:-
     * Glasgow Central
     * Glasgow East
     * Glasgow North
     * Glasgow North East
     * Glasgow North West
     * Glasgow South
     * Glasgow South West

Dialect

   Glaswegian, otherwise known as The Glasgow Patter is a local,
   anglicised variety of Scots.

   Glaswegian is a dialect, more than an alternative pronunciation; words
   also change their meaning, e.g. "away" can mean "leaving" as in A'm
   awa, an instruction to stop being a nuisance as in awa wi ye, or
   "drunk" or "demented" as in he's awa wi it. Pieces refers to
   "sandwiches". Ginger is a generic term for carbonated soft drink,
   generally in a glass bottle (A boatal a' ginger). Then there are words
   whose meaning has no obvious relationship to that in standard English:
   coupon means "face", via "to punch a ticket coupon". A headbutt has
   come to be known in many parts of Britain as a "Glasgow kiss".

   A speaker of Glaswegian might refer to those originating from the
   Scottish Highlands and the Western Isles as teuchters, while they would
   reciprocate by referring to Glaswegians as keelies. A (rather
   old-fashioned) Glaswegian insult is hieland, which means "awkward" and
   is Scots for "Highland". Example: that wean's got an awfu hieland wey o
   haudin that spuin meaning "that child has a very awkward way of holding
   that spoon".

   The TV series Chewin' the Fat, Rab C. Nesbitt and Still Game capture
   the humour of the Glaswegian patois, while Billy Connolly has made
   Glaswegian humour known to the rest of the world.

Education

   Glasgow is also a major education centre with four universities within
   10 miles (16 km) of the city centre: the 15th century University of
   Glasgow (which has one of the highest ratios of students who continue
   living at home in Scotland), the University of Strathclyde, the Glasgow
   Caledonian University, and the University of Paisley; as well as
   teacher training colleges, teaching hospitals such as the Glasgow Royal
   Infirmary, the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, Glasgow
   School of Art, and ten other further education colleges. The University
   of Glasgow is a member of the Russell Group of elite British
   Universities and is a founding member of the organisation Universitas
   21, an international grouping of universities dedicated to setting
   world-wide standards for higher education.

   Glasgow is home to a student population in excess of 168,000, the
   largest in Scotland and second largest in the United Kingdom, the
   majority of them living in the West End of the city.

Economy

   Glasgow is the largest and most dynamic economy in Scotland and is at
   the hub of the metropolitan area of West Central Scotland which has a
   total population of around 2.3 million, nearly half of Scotland's total
   population. The city itself sustains more than 410,000 jobs in over
   12,000 companies. The wider area of Glasgow Greater Glasgow sustains
   over 900,000 in 40,000 companies. Over 153,000 jobs have been created
   in the city since 2000 - a growth rate of 32%. The city now outstrips
   most of its European counterparts and rivals most North American cities
   in terms of growth. 55% of the residents in the Greater Glasgow area
   commute to the city every day. Manufacturing industries such as
   shipbuilding and heavy engineering have been gradually replaced in
   importance by a modern mixed economy, supported by public and private
   investment and a skilled workforce.

   Glasgow's economy is now dominated by key tertiary sector industries
   such as financial and business services, communications, biosciences,
   creative industries, healthcare, retail and tourism. Between 1998 and
   2001, the city's burgeoning financial services sector grew at a rate of
   30%.
   HMS Daring (pictured) was built in Glasgow and launched in 2006.
   Although diminished from its early 20th century heights, shipbuilding
   remains an important part of the city's technologically advanced
   manufacturing base.
   Enlarge
   HMS Daring (pictured) was built in Glasgow and launched in 2006.
   Although diminished from its early 20th century heights, shipbuilding
   remains an important part of the city's technologically advanced
   manufacturing base.

   The city retains a strong link to the manufacturing sector which forms
   the fourth largest manufacturing centre in the UK, accounting for well
   over 60% of Scotland's manufactured exports, with particular strengths
   in shipbuilding, engineering, food and drink, printing, publishing,
   chemicals and textiles as well as new growth sectors such as
   optoelectronics, software development and biotechnology. Glasgow forms
   the western part of the Silicon Glen high tech sector of Scotland. A
   growing number of Blue Chip financial sector companies are basing major
   operations or headquarters in Glasgow, including; Abbey, National
   Australia Group, Royal Bank of Scotland, HBOS, Ernst & Young, AXA,
   Aviva, Standard Life, JP Morgan, Morgan Stanley, Barclays Bank and
   Lloyds TSB. These names rub shoulders with other well established firms
   operating in the city, which represent other sectors of Glasgow's
   economy, including; Diageo, William Grant & Sons, Pernod Ricard, Whyte
   & Mackay, Tennent Caledonian Breweries, AG Barr, House of Fraser,
   Hilton Group, Trespass, MacFarlane Group, SMG, HarperCollins, John
   Menzies, BAE Systems, Thales, Alstom, Linn, Rolls-Royce, Albion
   Automotive, Corus, British Energy, Scottish Power, Thus, BT, NTL,
   Centrica, First Group, Loganair, Flyglobespan, BAA, Imperial Chemical
   Industries, Armitage Shanks, Jacobs Engineering Group, Norit, Weir
   Group, Babcock, Balfour Beatty, Arup, AMEC, and Aggreko Engineering.
   Glasgow-based Scottish Power is one of five Scottish companies to be
   included on the Fortune Global 500 rankings.

   Over the last two decades Glasgow has been dramatically transformed and
   is an attractive city in which to live and work. Major corporate
   developments have helped promote its reputation as a leading European
   centre for business and commerce.

   Glasgow is the second most popular foreign tourist destination in
   Scotland. The city also has the UK's second largest and most
   economically important commerce and retail district. Glasgow is one of
   Europe's top 20 financial centres and is home to many of Scotland's
   leading businesses, forming an important part of the British economy.

Transport

   Glasgow Central station is the northern terminus of the West Coast Main
   Line
   Enlarge
   Glasgow Central station is the northern terminus of the West Coast Main
   Line

Public transport

   Glasgow has a large urban transportation system, mostly managed by the
   Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT), part of Transport
   Scotland. Until 2006 it was known as Strathclyde Passenger Transport
   and was the only Passenger Transport Executive in Scotland. SPT is
   formed and financed out of the twelve unitary authorities in the
   Greater Glasgow area including Glasgow City Council. It has
   responsibility for local train services, the Subway, certain ferries
   and buses.

   The city has many bus services, almost all provided by private
   operators since bus deregulation in 1986, however SPT fund services
   where there is public need but no service. SPT also own and run the
   principal bus station in Glasgow, Buchanan Bus Station, which is a
   terminus point for many long distance intercity coach services as well
   as local journeys. A number of controversial ' bus corridors' have been
   invested in by Glasgow City Council focusing on main bus routes with
   real time information, and bus priority measures at a significant cost.
   The Greater Glasgow Passenger Transport Executive (GGPTE), formerly the
   municipal transport operator, is as a result of bus deregulation now
   privately owned by First Group, who operate a vast bus network in the
   city. Other large operators in Glasgow are Arriva and Stagecoach with a
   number of smaller operators catering to individual districts including
   First Stop Travel and many others.
   Map of the Glasgow Subway Network
   Enlarge
   Map of the Glasgow Subway Network

   Glasgow has the most extensive urban rail network in the UK outside of
   London, with rail services travelling to a large part of the West of
   Scotland. All trains running within Scotland are operated by First
   ScotRail, who own the franchise as determined by the Scottish
   Executive. This company is part of the First Group that runs the
   majority of bus services in the country. There are two main railway
   terminals which provide train services throughout the United Kingdom:
   Central Station and Queen Street Station. Local trains within Glasgow
   are however run by First Scotrail to the specification and requirements
   of SPT, who provide rolling stock in the distinctive SPT livery of
   Carmine and Cream. The city's suburban network is currently divided on
   both sides of the River Clyde. Many have long pressed for a link which
   will join the two halves of the urban railway network together, making
   possible through journeys via the central area without having to
   disembark at either Central or Queen Street and traverse the city
   centre by foot or road. The Glasgow Crossrail initiative has been
   proposed as a solution and is currently awaiting funding from the
   Scottish Executive.

   As well as the suburban rail network, SPT also run UK's only completely
   underground metro system, the Glasgow Subway (nicknamed by journalists
   the 'Clockwork Orange' after its 1970s renovation due to the new orange
   livery of the trains and its single, circular line, but not called this
   by locals, who actually simply refer to it as the "the underground",
   "the subway" or "the tube"). The Subway avoids traffic between the city
   centre, the Southside and the West End. A single ticket is £1, and a
   return £2, however after 0930 a "discovery" day ticket can be purchased
   for £1.90.

River transport

   A number of ferries used to link opposite sides of the Clyde in
   Glasgow. However, these have steadily disappeared, mainly due to the
   construction of new bridges and tunnels including the Erskine Bridge,
   Kingston Bridge, and the Clyde Tunnel, which rendered them obsolete.
   The only remaining crossings are the Renfrew Ferry between Renfrew and
   Yoker, and the Kilcreggan Ferry in Inverclyde, both run by SPT but
   outwith the city boundary. The paddle-steamer PS Waverley, the last
   operational sea going paddle-steamer in the world, still provides
   services from Glasgow City Centre, mainly catering to the pleasure
   cruise market. A regular service by Pride of the Clyde waterbuses link
   the City Centre with Braehead in Renfrewshire, some 30 minutes
   downstream.
   The M8 motorway passing under Charing Cross in Glasgow
   Enlarge
   The M8 motorway passing under Charing Cross in Glasgow

Roads

   The city is the focal point of Scotland's road network and has
   extensive road connections to other cities. The main M8 motorway passes
   through the city centre, allowing road transport to Edinburgh and
   Glasgow's two airports. The M8 crosses the Clyde via the Kingston
   Bridge, and connects to the M77, M73, and M80 motorways that lead
   throughout Scotland and to England. The M8 is the only motorway to pass
   through the centre of a major city in the UK. The M74 runs directly
   south towards Carlisle and currently terminates in the East End suburb
   of Tollcross, but the highly controversial M74 Completion scheme will
   extend the motorway into the Tradeston area to join the M8 south of the
   Kingston Bridge. After decades of bitter opposition from various
   quarters, a legal challenge to stop the extension from being built was
   withdrawn in 2006, and the road is now scheduled for completion by
   2010.

   Other road proposals include the East End Regeneration Route, which
   aims to complete the original post-war masterplan for the Glasgow Inner
   Ring Road around the city, and provide better access to deprived areas
   of the East End.

Airports

   The city has two international airports: Glasgow International Airport
   (GLA) in Paisley, Renfrewshire (13 km west of the city) and Glasgow
   Prestwick International Airport (PIK) in Prestwick, Ayrshire (46 km to
   the south-west). It is anticipated that by 2008, both airports will be
   served by a direct rail link from Glasgow Central station on completion
   of the Glasgow Airport Rail Link project at Glasgow International
   Airport.

Twinned cities

   Glasgow has been twinned with various cities around the world
   including:
     * Cuba Havana, Cuba
     * Italy Rome, Italy
     * Italy Turin, Italy
     * Germany Nuremberg, Germany
     * Russia Rostov-on-Don, Russia

     * France Marseille, France
     * People's Republic of China - Dalian, People's Republic of China
     * Pakistan - Lahore, Pakistan
     * Palestinian National Authority - Bethlehem, Palestinian Territories
     * United States - Washington, DC, United States

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