Glasgow Green is one of the most ancient public parks in Scotland. Over many centuries it provided a welcome escape from the crowded tenements of the old town.
In 1450 James II gave the land at Glasgow Green to the Bishop of
Glasgow for public grazing. Eventually it became a public space
protected by the city fathers.
The park has been used as a washing, bleaching and drying
area by local people, as a rallying point for Jacobite troops in
1745, a site of public executions until 1865, and for political
rallies and public festivals.
View Glasgow Green on Google maps (opens in
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At the western end of Glasgow Green, the Greek revival Justiciary Courthouse was designed by William Stark.
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The McLennan Arch acts as a grand gateway to the park. It was originally part of the entrance to the City’s late 18th century Assembly Rooms
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This obelisk was erected in 1806, only a year after the battle of Trafalgar.
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The figures on the magnificent terracotta Doulton Fountain represent the world-wide dominion of Queen Victoria’s Empire.
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The multi-coloured facade of Templeton’s Carpet Factory was designed in imitation of the Doge’s Palace in Venice.
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Explore some fascinating aspects of Glasgow life in the displays and collections of the People’s Palace and Winter Gardens.