15+ Famous Landmarks in Glasgow, UK (100% worth a visit)

Full List of the 16 Famous Landmarks Glasgow Has to Offer

To make it easier, I’ve divided the landmarks in 2 separate categories: the monuments & buildings in one hand; and the museums in the other hand. 

🏰 Buildings & monuments in Glasgow:  

1. Glasgow Cathedral
2. Glasgow Necropolis
3. University of Glasgow
4. The Duke of Wellington Statue
5. Glasgow Botanic Gardens
6. Mitchell Library
7. Buchanan Street
8. Beresford
9. Pollok Country Park & House

🏛 Museums in Glasgow:   

10. Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum
11. People’s Palace
12. Hunterian Art Gallery
13. Riverside Museum (Tall Ship)
14. Gallery of Modern Art
15. The Lighthouse
16. Glasgow Science Centre

So, here’s the complete list of the landmarks of Glasgow. Keep reading below to learn more about each of these places.👇

Famous Glasgow Monuments & Buildings

 As the largest city in Scotland, you can guess Glasgow is filled with buildings witnessing the history of the city. From churches to gardens, you’ll find various types of landmarks that are well worth a visit on this list. 

Let’s discover 9 of the best Glasgow monuments and buildings right below! 

1. Glasgow Cathedral

Glasgow Cathedral, also known as St Mungo’s Cathedral or Glasgow High Kirk, is arguably the city’s most iconic monument.

Built between 1136 and 1197 on a hill in the East End of the city, Glasgow Cathedral is the oldest cathedral on the Scottish mainland and the oldest building in the city.

From the outside, you might be disappointed as it looks like a simple medieval Gothic church. But step inside the building and you will be impressed by its huge size, great architecture, colorful stained glass windows and the unique feature of the lower church. You simply can’t miss it (+ it’s one of the best free things you can do in Glasgow)! 

2. Glasgow Necropolis

Right next to Glasgow Cathedral behind the Wishart Street Brewery is the picturesque Victorian Necropolis cemetery.

Standing on a small hill, the Necropolis features no less than 50,000 graves, most of them dating from the Victorian era. Huge and beautifully decorated monuments designed by renowned Glaswegian architects such as Charles Rennie Mackintosh have been erected to honor wealthy merchants and dignitaries. There’s also a statue of John Knox dominating the entire site.

Open every day from 7am until dusk, visiting the Necropolis is also an opportunity to discover a stunning view over the city, especially the most beautiful view of the Glasgow Cathedral.

3. University of Glasgow

Located in the heart of the city next to Kelvingrove Park, the University of Glasgow, one of the most prestigious universities in the world, is a must-see in the city.

Founded in 1451, Glasgow University is the 4th oldest university in the UK and one of the most beautiful buildings in Scotland. The whole building is an architectural masterpiece, and would have inspired JK. Rowling to create her wizarding school. Although the university isn’t a filming location for the Harry Potter series, the place has all the ingredients of a Hogwarts bis!

It’s possible to discover all the beauty of the university during a tour, often guided by the students themselves. 

4. The Duke of Wellington Statue

You can’t leave town without seeing the Duke of Wellington and his construction cone on his head!

The equestrian statue erected in 1844 stands right in front of the Gallery of Modern Art. The statue has been topped for 30 years by a cone that “vandals” come to place as soon as the municipality removes it. But because of the annual costs involved, it was decided that the crown of the victor of Waterloo would remain permanently. As a result, it has become the most famous emblem of the city!

While you’re there, you can visit the Gallery of Modern Art, or if you have the chance to be there in December, go to the nearby Royal Exchange Square where you’ll find the most beautiful Christmas decorations in Scotland.

5. Glasgow Botanic Gardens

Located on the banks of the River Kelvin in the north of the city, the Glasgow Botanic Garden is 20 hectares of landscaped paths, gardens and rare plants.

Established in 1817, the Glasgow Botanic Garden is now famous for its 12 Victorian-inspired greenhouses including the Kibble Palace, one of the largest greenhouses in the UK. The greenhouses feature large collections of tropical and desert plants from around the world including orchids, cactuses and carnivorous plants.

The botanical garden welcomes families, friends and joggers to relax on sunny days. Fun activities are also organized on weekends and evenings. 

6. Mitchell Library

Located in the West End on the edge of Glasgow city center, the Mitchell Library is one of the largest libraries in Europe.

Richard Paterson / CC BY-NC

The Mitchell Library was established in 1877 and now houses over 1.2 million volumes. The library is famous for its magnificent bronze dome, topped by a statue of a woman. Today, the library includes the original building and a large extension added in 1980. It has 5 floors, all accessible to the public.

A café-bar and reading area are located on the first floor, which also provides access to the conference and theater rooms.

7. Buchanan Street

Located just a few blocks from George Square, Buchanan Street is the place to be if you want to shop, window-shop or just take a walk in Glasgow.

This completely pedestrianized street surrounded by beautiful Victorian buildings and boutiques is Glasgow’s main shopping avenue. There’s something for everyone here, whether you’re looking for Gucci handbags or hiking boots, Buchanan Street is the place to go.

Don’t forget to look up as you pass from one store to the next, the architecture along this pedestrian boulevard is a sigh to behold.

8. Beresford

Located in the heart of the city, Beresford is the first skyscraper of Glasgow. 

Built during the interwar period in 1938 by William Beresford Inglis to welcome the Empire Exhibition visitors, Beresford is a former hotel and the most iconic Art Deco building in town. 

During WWII,  the Bereford Hotel became the US army’s favorite meeting place. In 1964, the building was converted into a student residence, then divided into 112 private apartments since 2002.

9. Pollok Country Park & House

Awarded “Europe’s Best Park” in 2008, Pollok Country Park is Glasgow’s largest green space covering 146 hectares.

Pollok Country Park was owned for 700 years by the Maxwell family when Anne Maxwell Macdonald donated it to the state in 1966 on the condition that it remain a public space. The park is home to the Pollok House, the Maxwell family’s mansion, and the Burrell Collection, a collection of over 8,000 art objects from around the world.

With its many trails and paths, its large wooded area where flowers are king and the White Cart River flowing gently through the park, Pollok Country Park is the place to be for joggers and Sunday strollers.

Famous Museums in Glasgow

As already said earlier, Glasgow is a major cultural city and as such, the city offers lots of museums you’ll love visiting. Some of them are iconic and tells very interesting stories about Glasgow. 

Let’s discover the best of them here. 

10. Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum

Located near the University of Glasgow in Kelvingrove Park, Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum is one of Scotland’s most important museums.

Here, you’ll find everything from paintings, sculptures, stuffed animals, and swords with shark teeth alongside a Spitfire plane and Dalí’s Christ of St. John of the Cross. 8,000 artifacts are on display in this museum, which is itself worth a visit for its architecture.

Although everything seems disorganized at first glance, each of the 22 exhibition rooms has its own topic and you can visit the museum quite quickly. A great visit to learn more about art for free! 

11. People’s Palace

Located inside the Glasgow Green in the East End, the People’s Palace is a museum dedicated to the history of the people of Glasgow.

The museum, housed in a magnificent Renaissance-style palace, was opened in 1898 by the Earl of Rosebery. The three-story museum houses a collection of historical artifacts, prints, photographs and films illustrating how the Glaswegians lived, worked and played.

The People’s Palace also includes the Winter Gardens, the beautiful tropical greenhouses that house exotic plants and where you can enjoy a coffee. Don’t miss the sublime Doulton Fountain, the world’s largest terracotta fountain, the splendid McLennan Arch and the ornate ceiling of the Glasgow History Mural.

12. Hunterian Museum and Art Gallery

Attached to the University of Glasgow, the Hunterian Museum and Art Gallery is the oldest public museum in Scotland. It’s also one of the most important university museums and galleries in the UK.

Founded in 1807, it shows the university’s long and rich history of research, discovery and innovation. the museum is mainly dedicated to the anatomist and physician William Hunter, and includes the Hunterian Museum, the Hunterian Art Gallery, the Zoology Museum, the Mackintosh House and the Anatomy Museum. 

Among the collections of over a million objects, you can see the scientific instruments that belonged to James Watt (the father of the steam engine), ethnographic objects of the legendary Captain James Cook, and one of the largest collections of Roman objects in the UK.

13. Riverside Museum (Tall Ship)

On the banks of the Clyde between Finnieston and Partick, the Riverside Museum is a wave-shaped building, a tribute to the importance of the river in the economic development of Glasgow.

Formerly known as the Transport Museum, the Riverside Museum is architect Zaha Hadid’s first major public building in the UK. Built on the site of a former shipyard in 2011, it tells the story of transport in Glasgow and Scotland. The architecture of this museum is an attraction in itself and is part of the visit.

The Tall Ship Glenlee, a 19th-century merchant vessel, is moored on the Clyde alongside the building and beautifully depicts the history of the museum, as do the exhibits inside which feature steam trains, a fascinating array of Scottish-made carriages, as well as streetcars and bicycles (including a replica of the first pedal bike dating from 1847).

14. Gallery of Modern Art

The Glasgow Gallery of Modern Art is located in the center of Glasgow, a short walk from Buchanan Street and near Queen Street Station.

Ian Dick / CC BY

The 18th century neo-classical mansion of William Cunningham, one of Glasgow’s wealthiest merchants whose statue stands in front of the building, was home to the Royal Exchange for over 100 years before becoming the Gallery of Modern Art in 1996.

Spread over 4 floors, the museum features permanent and temporary exhibitions of Scottish, British and international artists such as Salgado, Warhol, David Hockney, Goldsworthy, Bersudsky, and more. It also showcases works from the Glasgow International Festival, the largest festival of contemporary visual art in Scotland, which takes place every 2 years.

15. The Lighthouse 

Located in Merchant district, the Lighthouse is a cultural center and museum dedicated to design and architecture in Glasgow.

The Lighthouse was designed in 1895 by the famous architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh. The building housed the offices of The Herald newspaper in the 20th century. Today, the building offers lectures on design, architecture and various exhibitions especially on its designer, Mackintosh. Representing the Art Nouveau movement in Scotland, Mackintosh remains one of Glasgow’s most prominent figures.

If you’re not an architecture fan, you can still enjoy a breathtaking 360° panorama from the 6th floor of the tower, which you can access by elevator, or via a splendid spiral staircase that you’ll love to photograph.

16. Glasgow Science Centre

The Glasgow Science Centre is one of Scotland’s top-rated attractions and a popular place for families.

Opened in 2001 on the south bank of the River Clyde, the Glasgow Science Centre is a fun, interactive museum with exhibits on all areas of science. Interactive workshops keep kids entertained for hours! 

The museum also offers a 3D cinema, a planetarium, and a breathtaking view of the city from the Glasgow Tower.

Map of the Famous Glasgow Landmarks

To get the free map of this top landmarks Glasgow has to offer, simply click on the image below to open it in Google Maps. Then click on the “star” icon to save it to your own maps.

More Landmarks in Scotland

Want to discover more incredible landmarks in Scotland? If so, I have other posts you’ll love reading, for sure!

• Overall Scotland guide: The Most Famous Landmarks in Scotland
• Famous Landmarks in Edinburgh

For more, you can also check all our UK guides.

I hope you’ve found all the information you needed to make your Scotland bucket list through these posts. Don’t hesitate to comment below if this is the case, I would be very pleased to read your feedback!

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