by 
Buchanan Bus Station
One day before Christmas I decided to go for a walk through the most picturesque and interesting streets and places of the cosy city of Glasgow. It is one of the largest cities in Scotland located on the banks of the River Clyde.
I travelled by bus and arrived at Glasgow city’s Buchanan Bus Station. The first thing that greeted me in the foyer of the station was a delightful bronze sculpture of two young people embracing – a woman and a man. It is a very symbolic statue for a place like a bus station because everyone can decipher the message that this monument carries in his or her own way, whether it is a joyful meeting of two lovers after a long separation or whether it is a touching moment of farewell between young hearts parting for a long time.
Upon leaving the station I headed into the city centre, specifically the square where the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall is located. The next sculpture that met me here was called the Clyde Clock or “Running Clock”.
The twenty pound stainless steel structure was installed in 1999. It epitomises time in motion. In addition to its original appearance, the sculpture serves a useful function as a chime – the clock chimes at 8pm every day to alert everyone around it that it’s a good time to meet. There is a sense of awe and excitement around this sculpture as if you have really come here to meet someone important to you.
After looking at the sculpture I started driving down Rue Quilermonto. I could see the facade of the Royal Concert Hall which is adorned with Glasgow’s coat of arms depicting St Mung (Kentigen in his lifetime) who is considered to be the patron saint of the city. Also visible on the coat of arms is the inscription of Glasgow’s motto “Let Glasgow Flourish”.
I moved leisurely along the street and the focus of my attention fell on tall glass with an unusual shaped roof and the facade of the city cinema building. This cinema is considered to be the tallest in the world today. Passing by this building, you can catch yourself wondering how it is arranged inside which makes you want to go in and look at the cinema from the inside.
However, my walk today was aimed at exploring the city’s main street, Buchanan Street. So I continued towards it, looking at the local buildings and marvelling at how the beautiful old facades harmonise with the modern glass windows, creating a quite organic urban landscape.
Walking along Buchanan Street
After bypassing the cinema building, I finally arrived at Buchanan Street, a street described as the main artery of the city. It is one kilometre long from north to south. It is a special area for the city or rather a public space where dozens of fashion boutiques, pedestrian zones, bike parking, authentic cafes and restaurants are concentrated.
I reached the place that is the shopping heart of the city – Glasgow’s Buchanan Galleries and continued my walk along the paved lanes of Buchanan Street, manoeuvring between the crowds of people rushing about their business. They are home to shops from some of the biggest retailers around the world. This has been the top spot for shopping for 20 years.
But, as my visit to Glasgow was aimed at seeing the local beauty and getting to know the flavour of the place, I went on, encountering buildings whose facades immediately transported me back to the time of kings and knights. It was as if I was in ancient Glasgow with facades decorated with columns and Gothic window frames, high arches of carved balconies, peaked roofs piercing the sky and sculptures and lanterns on the facades of buildings. In the sunlight, all the structures look very authentic.
The whole of Buchanan Street in the run-up to Christmas is decorated with hundreds of garlands, Christmas toys and fir trees. People are bustling about all around me, preparing for the warmest and most awaited holiday. Walking in such an atmosphere, I felt myself not a simple tourist-traveller, but part of a big friendly family which is busy with pleasant things. It made me feel warm at heart, my mood was great and the winter sunshine made the atmosphere even more welcoming and festive.
Getting to know George Square
I turned off Buchanan Street and found myself in another recognisable and interesting place – George Square. This place is considered to be the centre of Glasgow’s social life. George Square was named in honour of King George III and opened in 1787. The place was opened to the public in 1876.
On the eve of the Christmas holidays George Square becomes the place where residents and visitors gather to have fun, ride the rides that are installed right on the square, buy Christmas souvenirs and simply socialise with friends and family. These days there is an atmosphere of kindness, fun and festivity. Many people walk here, children’s laughter is heard and pleasant music is played – in general the holiday is felt in the very air.
There is a tall monument to Sir Walter Scott in the centre of the square. It is one of 12 monuments that are scattered throughout George Square. A statue of Sir Walter Scott, the author of a large number of popular novels, stands on top of a prehistoric column which is 24 metres high.
There is a beautiful building with an exquisite facade on the eastern side of the square – the City Chambers of Glasgow. It houses the headquarters of the government. It also houses city council meetings and the office of the Lord Provost.
My attention was drawn to a memorial which stands out in bright scarlet and white colours against the background of the City Chambers. The Cenotaph is a war memorial to remember the people of Glasgow who fell in the Great War of 1914 – 1918. A Remembrance Ceremony takes place near the Cenotaph each year as veterans, members of the clergy and community leaders lay scarlet wreaths at the Stone of Remembrance. There are two snow-white lions made of stone on both sides of the Stone of Remembrance. The spirit of history and respect for the exploits of war reverberates from this place.
Back to the centre
I turned back to Buchanan Street after enjoying beautiful views of the old buildings and taking in the cheerful, festive atmosphere of the square. Walking along this city street was very enjoyable for me.
This place was conceived as a place where the rich national traditions of the city would be taken into account, but realised through the functional prism of modernity. The street is organically integrated into the urban environment. Pedestrian and carriageway areas are paved with natural stone and lanterns and benches are integral elements of decoration.
The city metro station was also renovated during the street’s redevelopment. Its entrance is decorated with a large glass structure with rounded roof lines. There is a very special atmosphere on the street on this sunny pre-Christmas day. I saw the attributes of the upcoming holiday everywhere – decorative figures of reindeer and bears, Christmas tree branches, garlands and various installations which, among other things, decorate the facades of buildings.
I finished my amazing walk by returning to the square in front of the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall. I felt a lot of positive emotion from getting acquainted with this city and, charged with festive mood, decided that I will come back here many more times to learn more interesting facts about the city and its most significant places.
