Scotland 2025: Glasgow - Necropolis, Cathedral, Buchanan Street

After spending 7 days in Edinburgh, we were ready to head to Glasgow for 4 days. We took the train from Edinburgh Waverley Station to Glasgow Queen St. station, purchasing first class tickets since the cost difference was a mere £5 more.  Traveling first class gave us more luggage space, a quieter cabin, wide reclining seats with more legroom, and a large table with power outlets where I could use my laptop during the 1.5-hour ride.

When on vacation, we always look for an entire apartment with a living area and kitchen (or at least a refrigerator) as opposed to a hotel room.  We like the extra space and the ability to store milk, fruit, juice and other foods so that we can eat breakfast and potentially some dinners “at home” rather than requiring to dine out for every meal.  The best option is the “apartment hotel” since we get the kitchen that we crave, but also a manned front desk where we can leave our luggage prior to check-in time or get assistance for any issues that arise during our stay.  

We found the perfect accommodations in ApartHotel Adagio which had the ideal location, just a few blocks from the train station and mere steps from St.Enoch subway station, access to the River Clyde, grocery stores and Buchanan Street, a pedestrian area featuring high-end shops and restaurants.  As we were only there for a few days, we chose a studio apartment that had a kitchen and a desk for my computer which was all we needed.  The front desk was able to stow our luggage while we explored Glasgow until check-in time and as an added bonus, there was a coin-operated laundromat so we could do some laundry.  We had a much easier time than in Edinburgh where we rented a private apartment and had to arrange for access to keys, pay to store our luggage at a Bounce Luggage Storage site and communicated with our host via WhatsApp to report issues.  We hope to continue to book apartment hotels in our future travels.

Some interesting architecture and sculptures can be found near our hotel.  St. Enoch Square, a prominent public space that was developed in the 18^th century and once had Regency-styled buildings including St.Enoch Church. Today, the oldest buildings are from the 19^th century including the former National Bank of Scotland.  Built in 1906, its façade features allegorical sculptures of Peace and Purity holding doves, flanking a winged sun motif representing security, prosperity and financial growth.   At the centre of the square is an ornate 1896 Flemish Renaissance building that was once the Glasgow Subway ticket office and sits within the footprint of the former St. Enoch Church.  Today it is a location for Caffe Nero, a shop selling coffee and pastries.  Also within the square is a small Tesco supermarket, takeout eateries and other shops and restaurants as well as two entrances to the St.Enoch subway station.  Running perpendicular is Argyle Street, which marks the end of St. Enoch Square to the south and the start of Buchanan Street to the north.  Argyle is one of Glasgow’s longest and busiest shopping streets. The former Stewart & McDonald Warehouse at 146 Argyle features a pair of muscular Titans with bowed heads and crossed arms, holding up the building with their shoulders.

Arriving in Glasgow just after 10am, we dropped off our bags at the hotel and headed off towards the Glasgow Necropolis, hoping to make it there before the rain in the forecast came to past.  Along the way, we passed several historic buildings including the Glasgow Royal Infirmary, designed in the early 20^th century in Scottish Baronial Revival style with red sandstone, corner towers, cupolas and detailed stonework. Provand’s Lordship is Glasgow’s oldest surviving house, constructed in 1471 as accommodations for the head of St.Nicolas’ Hospital.  Next to the house is St.Nicolas Garden, built in 1995 to recreate a 15-century hospital Physic Garden with medieval medicinal herbs.  The Victorian-styled Cathedral House Hotel was built in 1877 and was originally a hostel and habilitation centre for ex-prisoners from Duke St. Prison.  Today, it is a boutique inn with 8 rooms, a bar and restaurant.  Just before reaching the Necropolis, we spotted an early 20^th century blue Mackenzie Trench-designed Police box that once served as a mini police station with phone and equipment inside.  Sold off in the 1990s-2000s, this one has been converted into a coffee kiosk.

Glasgow Necropolis is a beautiful, 37-acre Victorian garden cemetery established in 1833 to reflect the city’s industrial wealth.  The main entrance is accessed over a stone bridge (colloquially known as the “Bridge of Sighs”) that once spanned the Molendinar Burn (river).  Built on a small hill, the Necropolis was modeled after Paris’ Père Lachaise Cemetery and is laid out as an informal park with ornate graves and sculptures. Starting on lower ground, tombs and monuments are found on either side of a meandering path that follows the curve of the hill, rising up to a plateau.  Along the way, we found the tomb of William Miller (1810-1872) with the designation “Laureate of the Nursery, Author of Wee Willie Winkle” (a Scottish nursery rhyme).

The Necropolis was developed by the Merchants’ House of Glasgow after the 1832 Cemeteries Act promoted the creation of private, inter-denominational burial grounds that were not associated with any church or religion.  It hosts around 50,000 burials with 3500 monuments.  Along the crest of the hill are massive mausoleums for notable families including the Aiken family who were wine and spirit merchants, and the Buchanan Sisters of Bellfield Estate, who were philanthropists funding hospitals and charities.  Even from the base of the cemetery, we could see the massive column with the sculpture of Scottish minister and Reformer John Knox towering over the other structures.  The John Knox monument was actually erected in 1825, pre-dating the cemetery.

The rain started as we climbed towards the top of the Necropolis, making the stone steps slippery but the darkened skies added to atmosphere. Coincidentally, it had also rained when we visited Père Lachaise years ago.  There were many impressive tombs at the top of the Necropolis, as well as stunning views of the city below.   We got a closer look at the John Knox monument, which towers over the rest at 70 feet.  Nearby is the slightly smaller monument to Reverend Duncan Macfarlan, Principal of University of Glasgow which stands at 58-feet.  Also impressive is the sculpture of Charles Tennant, an industrialist and chemical magnate who patented bleaching powder in 1799.

A couple of beautiful mausoleums stood side by side.  The William Rae Wilson Mausoleum has a striking Moorish design with intricate carvings on the stone façade while the interior is clad with white marble.  Wilson (1772-1849) was a solicitor, traveler and author of popular travelogues detailing trips to Egypt and the Holy Land.  The Houldsworth Mausoleum is flanked by a pair of angels representing “Hope” and “Charity” while a magnificent sculpture of “Faith” sits inside under an octagonal dome with stained glass. Sir William Houldsworth (1796-1851) was a cotton magnate.  Further away, and in rough shape since it is cordoned off, is the Norman Temple Mausoleum.  Built in 1842, the circular Neo-Norman temple was inspired by the Knights of Templar Church of the Holy Sepulchre.  It honours Major Archibald Douglas Monteath, who amassed his wealth as an East Indian Company officer and was known for his philanthropy.

Positioned at the lowest level of the Necropolis and one of the earliest areas to be built and populated was the Jewish Burial Grounds, a small triangular plot that held 57 burials between 1832-1855.  The area is marked by an ornate gate and pillar.  The first burial was jeweler Joseph Levi who died of cholera in September 1832.  A commemorative plaque unveiled in 2015 lists the names of the 57 individuals buried in this section.  Just outside the cemetery grounds is a stone pillar titled “Bell o’ Brae” Monument.  It was unveiled in 2016 to mark the legendary 1297 Battle of the Bell o’ the Brae where Wallace was said to have defended against the English. The pillar features a sword and a knight’s helmet.

Just west of the Necropolis and visible from its hillside is the Glasgow Cathedral, one of Scotland’s oldest medieval cathedrals dating back to 1197 and the only one to survive John Knox’s Reformation intact.  Built over the tomb of Glasgow’s patron saint Mungo, it sits in Cathedral Square and marks the birthplace of the city.  Light posts in the square are decorated with the symbols tied to St. Mungo (also known as St. Kentigern) including a tree, bell and fish, all related to miracles that the saint performed. Gothic expansions through the 13^th to 15^th centuries transformed the cathedral from a Romanesque structure to a Gothic one.  These changes are reflected in the 203-foot-long nave with its pointed arches, and a timber roof peaking at 105 feet with ribbed stone vaulting and clustered columns.  High up towards the back of the nave are four tall lancelets decorated with stained glass windows depicting “The Four Evangelists” (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) by Francis Spear (1951).   In the north aisle of the nave is Douglas Strachan’s Moses Window (1936), depicting key scenes from the life of Moses including his encounter with the burning bush and receiving of the Ten Commandments.  It is noticeable due to the vivid colours of the glass.

Glasgow Cathedral has one of the most diverse collections of stained-glass windows spanning from Victorian to contemporary eras. No medieval windows remain as they were all destroyed during the 1560s Reformation. The range of windows reflect the changing decorative and storytelling styles across the generations. Sadie McLellan’s Christ and the World’s Beauty window (1955) portrays Christ holding a lamb in the central lancelet, resting atop a cosmic tree of life while surrounded by fruits, trees and floral designs. One of the most impressive windows is Francis Spear’s “The Creation” (1958) which includes an almost cubic depiction of Adam and Eve in a purple hue, surrounded by celestial elements including the sun, moon, stars and roses.  Moving towards the 21st century, the Millennium Window by John K. Clark (1999) depicts themes of growth with vibrant shades of blues and purples, using etched mouth-blown glass, painting and silver staining for layered light effects.  Emma Butler-Cole Aikin’s Tree of Jesse (2018) is a contemporary interpretation of Jesus’ ancestry, using the colours of the symbolic tree to represent Jesse, David, Solomon and Isiah with a central red ribbon representing Christ’s blood line. The most recent work is the Burgh Charter Window by Talia Blatt (2025) which celebrates Glasgow’s 850-year anniversary by depicting the Cathedral amid changing landscapes through history.

Down in the basement, we saw examples of window fragments made from Munich glass which was used to produce vibrant stained-glass windows in the 19^th century using a mosaic-enamel technique.  Unfortunately, these windows did not last long due to effects of pollution which caused the painted surfaces to deteriorate.  Also in the lower levels is the crypt housing St. Mungo’s tomb, built in the mid 1200s and the site of major medieval pilgrimages. The crypt features vaulted stone ceilings and large pillars with a coffin at the centre covered with a colourful cloth topped by a cross.  The last medieval addition from the late 15^th Century is Blacader Aisle, named after Archbishop Robert Blackadder.   Initially designed to be a crypt for a chapel that was never built, it features beautiful, white-painted stone ceilings with elaborate carvings on corbels and vault ribs that depict angels, foliage, and Blackadder’s coat of arms (mitre/crozier and cross keys).

Leaving the Cathedral, we returned to our hotel by walking the 700 meters span of Buchanan Street starting from the north at Sauchiehall St.  There we found the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, open in 1990 as home of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, as well as hosting pop and rock bands and other live music performances.  Next to it is the Buchanan Galleries, a major shopping mall with over 80 stores, eateries and services.  Continuing south towards Argyle St., we passed many high-end flagship stores, luxury brands and cool restaurants, as well as a museum that we would visit later.  There were also interesting sculptures and architecture to admire.  Buchanan St. has been pedestrianized since 1977, attracting heavy foot traffic, buskers, street festivals and events.  Each time we visit a new city in Europe that has a beautiful pedestrian-only stretch of road, we wish that Toronto would follow suit.

Towards the south end of Buchanan Street are flower beds that contain decorative sculptures made from wicker including representations of a man in a suit, woman in a dress, cocktail glass, stiletto show, treble clef and a teddy bear.  These are probably temporary displays as Buchanan Street is known for its rotating street art.  One day we also came across a street artist creating sand sculptures of very realistic looking dogs.

One of the landmarks on Buchanan St. is the Argyll Arcade, open in 1827 as Scotland’s first indoor shopping mall and one of Europe’s oldest covered arcades.  The structure was rebuilt in 1904 in Edwardian Baroque Parisian style with covered passages topped with cast-iron framed glass skylights, a glazed roof and arched entrances.  The façade is red sandstone with the words Argyll Chambers emblazed on the first balcony and ornate mosaic tiles above the entrances depicting the words Argyll Arcade, 1904 and the coat of arms of the Reid family who developed the arcade.  Higher up are a pair of allegorical female figures representing commerce and industry.  Today, there are over 30 jewelers in the arcade specializing in luxury watches, diamonds, wedding rings, and other jewellery.  Being a vintage watch fanatic, this was a must-see stop for Rich in Glasgow.  Luckily the arcade was situated very close to our hotel so I was able to leave him there to explore on his own one day while I returned to our apartment to rest.  He had fun trying on various watches.

Another iconic shopping mall on Buchanan St is Princes Square or Princes Gallery. Originally built in the 1840s, it is recognizable due to the stunning Art Nouveau-styled sculpture at the top of its façade.  Crafted from hand-forged wrought iron and steel shaped in the form of a 10-meter-wide peacock, the work was actually added during a major renovation in 1990.  As eye-catching as the exterior is, the interior is just as stunning with a massive cast-iron framed glass dome roof that is much larger and more impressive than in the Argyll Arcade.  The five-storey retail centre is accessed by a pair of symmetrical, criss-crossing wooden escalators clad in polished timber and sweeping staircases with Art Nouveau designed railings.  Throughout the mall are intricate wrought-iron designs, decorative glass orbs and mosaics, and custom lighting.  The atrium offers patio-like seating area with umbrellas in the centre as well as a replica Foucault’s Pendulum which hangs off to one side, adding extra interest to the site.  High end shops and eateries line the sides of each level.

We only discovered the gorgeous interior of the Princes Gallery after walking into the chocolate shop Hotel Chocolate from Buchanan Street. Here we found so many flavours of delicious truffles that we returned several times to buy more. All told, we bought two packs of Orange Mimosa, as well as packs of Salted Espresso Martini, Mint, Peanut Butter, and Pistachio truffles which we proceeded to eat for the rest of our trip through Scotland. Moving to the back of the store, we found the drinks bar and sat down for a chocolate orange and chocolate black forest cherry milk shakes topped with flavoured whipping cream (of course!)  As we were savouring our drinks, we noticed the back exit that led to the mall and that is how we stumbled upon the interior of Princes Gallery.

In addition to shops, there are also many restaurants on Buchanan Street and we dined at two of them.  The first was Chaophraya Thai, a fancy Thai restaurant (considered the largest in Europe) that we happened to pass by as we were returning from the Cathedral.  What attracted us initially was the building called “The Townhouse” which is a historic 1909 Edwardian Baroque styled building with a striking red sandstone façade and a pair of stone lion heads on either side of the entrance. The building was formerly the home of the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama before being transformed into a Thai restaurant in 2012.  The redesign blended the building’s historic features with Thai décor, making for a unique and eclectic combination.  The interior retains its Edwardian features including high ceilings, ornate plaster cornices, marble floors, timber paneling, period fireplaces, a brass chandelier and a grand staircase.  Thai elements have been intermixed including a wooden elephant, stylized Thai Buddha sculptures, Thai styled wooden tables, screens and throne chairs with intricate carvings.  Upstairs where the main dining room was, we saw more examples of the building’s past relationships with music as the stairwells were decorated with decorative plasterwork with plaques hailing “Schumann”, “Mendelssohn”, “Brahms” and “Wagner” while a bust of Beethoven is flanked by two more Buddhas.

While admiring the building, we were tempted by the menu choices advertised and decided to stop here for lunch.   We opted for the lunch special that allowed us to select 5 Tapas dishes for £25.  There were so many delicious sounding items that it was difficult to decide.  We finally chose Karage chicken with Thai basil spice mix, Vegetable Pad Thai with tamarind sauce, lime and crushed peanuts, a bun with sous vide beef strips and Panang sauce, chicken/shrimp steamed wontons topped with crispy fried garlic and spring onions, and eggplant tempura topped with stir-fried diced peppers and onions in a chilli-basil sauce.  We received complementary shrimp chips and should have been satisfied with this order but could not resist adding the crispy pork belly coated in a sweet soy sauce.

On another evening, we dined at The Ivy on Buchanan St., again choosing it as much for its gorgeous décor as for the culinary experience. The Ivy is a stylish, sophisticated restaurant that offers a mix of British classics and international fare. There is an opulent Art Deco-inspired main dining area filled with plush banquet seating, thematic upholstery with floral motifs, wall coverings of deep greens, golds and plum adorned with art and framed mirrors, marble floors and tabletops, hanging foliage and large plants. Two bars are decorated with polished onyx countertops known for their translucent, gem-like colours. You can sit at the bars to order drinks and lighter fare or book the private dining room called The Morgan Room for events and special occasions.

We both opted to choose from the 2-course fixed menu which came with a free glass of Champagne for £27.95. For the starter, Rich selected the crab and avocado salad with sliced radish, tomato and coriander accompanied by spinach crispbread and it arrived on a very cool plate decorated with a large metal crab.  I chose the crispy duck salad with roasted cashews, sesame, watermelon, ginger and hoisin sauce.  For our mains, I had the Mediterranean sea bass fillet with smoked aubergine, toasted almonds, olive, and tomato/sherry dressing while Rich ordered the chicken Milanese with truffle sauce, served with a fried egg and greens. We added an order of zucchini fritti with lemon chilli and mint yogurt as a side to share. This was the second meal in Glasgow where we ate great food in a beautiful setting.

I really enjoyed the ambience of The Ivy and all the fun art on the wall including bold, colourful prints.  If it wasn’t so crowded, I would have walked around the restaurant more to get a closer look at some of them.