Glasgow is Scotland's largest city and unitary authority area, situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands. The city was formerly a royal burgh, and the "Second City of the British Empire" in the Victorian era, it established itself as a major transatlantic trading port. The Clyde was the World's pre-eminent shipbuilding centre, building many revolutionary and famous vessels such as the Cunard liners Queen Mary, Queen Elizabeth and the QE2, and the Royal Yacht Britannia. Known as the commercial capital of Scotland, the City of Glasgow is a bustling, cosmopolitan city. Glasgow is the second most popular foreign tourist destination in Scotland after Edinburgh. The city also has Scotland's largest and most economically important commerce and retail centre. 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.
Transportation in Glasgow
By Car: Glasgow is linked to Edinburgh by the M8 motorway – passing west to the airport and the Clyde Coast – and to England and Wales by the M74, which becomes the M6 further south, toward Manchester. From there, the M1 continues south to London. The Clyde Valley Tourist Route, a more scenic route that runs through the valley parallel to the M74, has distinctive brown and white signs to guide motorists.
By Coach: Coaches arrive at Buchanan Bus Station, Killermont Street. Information on all coach and public transport is provided by Traveline. Bookings are made with the individual operators. Scottish Citylink offers regular commuter services between Glasgow, Glasgow Airport and Edinburgh. Longer distance services from most major Scottish cities (including Campbeltown, Skye, Inverness and Aberdeen) are also available. National Express operates nationwide services from London, Manchester and other destinations.
By Train: Glasgow is served by two main rail stations – Glasgow Central station, Argyle Street, has train services from London and other English cities, while Glasgow Queen Street station, Queen Street, receives services from Edinburgh and the north of Scotland. Rail services in Scotland are operated by First Scotrail
By Air: Glasgow International Airport is located 8 miles to the west of the city centre. It is Scotland’s busiest airport and the fourth busiest in the UK, with over eight million passengers per year, flying to 76 scheduled and 60 charter destinations.
The most famous of Glasgow’s art museums, The Burrell Collection, is a donation of 8,000 works of art from shipping magnate Sir William Burrell. The gallery opened in 1983, in the beautiful setting of Pollok Country Park. Also situated within the park is Pollok House, a fine old Georgian country house owned by the National Trust for Scotland. Echoing the silver curves of the ‘armadillo’ , the Glasgow Science Centres titanium clad shell houses the Science Mall, with hundreds of hands-on exhibits covering the spectrum of natural and applied sciences. Purpose built in 1898, as a ‘palace of pleasure’ for the working classes, the People’s Palace Museum tells the story of the people of Glasgow. Designed by Mackintosh, the Glasgow School of Art was built in two phases, between 1897 and 1909. Not only are there the architectural flourishes of the surprisingly airy building but also the library and the Mackintosh Room, which has a selection of furniture designed for the houses he built. The Gallery of Modern Art, centrally located in the middle of Royal Exchange Square, offers an up-to-date vision within its four floors of gallery space. Showcasing the works of living artists, the gallery has an eye on the future, with a learning library and art workshops.
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