When people talk about cities in Scotland, the famously pretty streets of Edinburgh usually steal the limelight, despite Glasgow being the country’s largest city in terms of size and population.
Recently, I visited Glasgow for the first time on a short trip to Scotland, which also included a night in Fort William to climb Ben Nevis, and a few nights in Oban to explore the surrounding Isles.
I added Glasgow to the itinerary because I wanted to see some friends. My good friend Clara relocated to the city a few years ago with her boyfriend, and recently they welcomed an adorable baby girl into the world who I couldn’t wait to meet.
Glasgow has a long reputation for promoting the arts, attracting students from all around the world to study at Glasgow School of Art which is one of the leading art schools in the UK. There’s more than just the University attracting creative types to the city, it’s a combination of factors, including the affordably – ranking as one of the cheapest cities to live in the UK, and it has a wealth of cultural organisations and venues dedicated to performing arts.
To emphasise this, Glasgow was awarded the title of European Capital of Culture (1990), City of Architecture and Design (1999) and in 2019 it was named the UK’s top cultural and creative city by the European Commission.
The creativity of the city can be felt and seen all over the streets of Glasgow in the form of beautiful wall murals.
As I mentioned earlier, I was in Glasgow to see my friends and their beautiful baby, but I did manage to squeeze in some sightseeing. I loved the Cathedral, and the culinary scene really took me by surprise. But I found my favourite activity was simply roaming down the streets and looking for street art.
There’s lots of great street art in Glasgow, but some of it is, for lack of a better word, naff. Matters of taste are subjective, especially art.
However, you’d be hard pressed to find someone who wasn’t impressed by street artist Smug. His work stands out above the rest, so I’m going to focus on highlighting his work in this little self-guided walking tour.
I’d seen his work before in Malmo, South Sweden, but his output in Glasgow is a lot greater.
Street art to find in Glasgow by Smug
Australian-born Smug came to live in Glasgow several years ago and he’s been leaving his mark on the city since his arrival. His distinctive style has been praised for its hyperrealism by Glaswegians, as well as his choice of subjects. His most famous piece depicts a modern day St. Mungo – Glasgow’s patron Saint. You can find this mural on High Street at the side of a Nisa Local shop.
At 25, Mungo began his missionary work on the banks of the River Clyde, near where he built his church which forms part of the Glasgow Cathedral. In the mural, St Mungo is depicted with a robin, in reference to the pet robin of St Serf which was brought to a life by St Mungo after being accidentally killed.
Nearby is another tender work by Smug on the corner of High Street and George Street. This time he has depicted the patron saint of Glasgow, St Mungo, as a young child being breastfed by his mother St Enoch. Noticeable is the robin that features in both of the artist’s murals.
Wander further into the centre of town to Mitchell Street and you’ll find the Girl with a Magnifying Glass. Stretching up four storeys, you can’t miss it. What’s more, catch it at the right angle and it looks as if she’s plucking people off the street! I tried to see if I could create a funny perspective shot myself, but couldn’t quite achieve it, though I do like how the photo gives you a gist of the sheer size of the mural.
The last mural I spotted by Smug was a collection of wildlife animals overlooking Ingram Street car park. It was commissioned by Glasgow City Council to celebrate some of the wildlife that you will see in Glasgow’s green spaces, such as squirrels, foxes and highland cows. You’ll need a few photos to capture the whole scene of this huge piece. As the mural suggests, Glasgow is a superb starting point for exploring the famed Scottish countryside!
Admiring the public wall murals is an excellent way to get acquainted with the city streets of Glasgow.
Visiting Glasgow
I travelled to Glasgow from London by train. It takes approximately 6 hrs. It’s less than an hour by train from Edinburgh, so I recommend visiting both cities if you have the time.
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