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Glasgow Leasing

Did You Know?

Affectionately known as Scotland’s ‘dear green place’, Glasgow is Scotland’s beating heart. Known for its colourful character, industrial history and incredible art and music scene, Glasgow has been surprising and delighting visitors for centuries.

With a population of 600,000 people, Glasgow is Scotland’s largest city, and the fifth most-visited city in the United Kingdom. It is home to significantly more people than Scotland’s capital, Edinburgh, partly as a result of its important role as an industrial trading city in the 19th century.

Fossil Grove, in Glasgow’s Victoria Park, is home to eleven very special trees. These fossilised tree stumps date to the Carboniferous Period, making them 330 million years old, twice as old as the dinosaurs. The trees were discovered in 1887 during excavations to make a new park from an old quarry.

According to local stories, the city of Glasgow was founded by 6th-century Christian missionary St Mungo. However, in reality, there had been a settlement on the banks of the River Clyde since prehistoric times, and even the Romans built a number of outposts in the area now known as Glasgow.

Glasgow’s City Chambers are housed in one of the most impressive buildings in the city, now the home of Glasgow City Council. Enter into this 19th-century monument and you’ll find yourself in a glittering world of opulence.

Glasgow’s subway system is the third-oldest underground train system in the world, and began to welcome passengers in 1896. The bright orange carriages and regular service mean that it is often dubbed ‘The Clockwork Orange’.

Glasgow has historically been a centre for science, art and learning, and the fabulous museums across the city are littered with artistic, cultural and scientific treasures. Of these, one of the most famous is the world’s first ultrasound machine, which was developed and first used in Glasgow in the 1950s.

Ah – chicken tikka masala! Britain’s favourite dish has long been a fixture on menus in Indian restaurants from London to Aberdeen. However, did you know that this supposedly Indian dish may have actually been invented in Glasgow?

This is a surprising fact about Glasgow. Did you know the bones of the patron saint of lovers, Saint Valentine, can be found in the Church of Blessed St John Duns Scotus. The remains, housed in a small wooden box, are part of a set of relics donated to the Franciscan church in 1868.

The name Glasgow is thought to have originated from the phrase ‘dear green place’ in Gaelic. This is actually a popular misconception, although the nickname has stuck around for centuries.

Although Edinburgh is famous for its many festivals, including the annual Fringe Festival in August, Glasgow is the undisputed capital of Scottish culture. There are more than 20 museums and art galleries in Glasgow, featuring works by some of the world’s most famous artists..