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The area known as Jenny Lind in the South of Glasgow seems a strange place and way to commemorate the famous 19th-century Swedish opera singer Jenny Lind (1820-1887), known as the Swedish Nightingale (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jenny_Lind) . It would seem that at some point she had put up in an inn (or farmhouse) in the area which changed its name in honour of the occasion. See https://www.glasgowtimes.co.uk/news/17330363.jenny-lind-glasgow-area-named-greatest-showman-star/ .  The area is part of the Stirling Maxwell estate, so one cannot help wondering if there is some link between this great artist and the wealthy family, as there was for Chopin. Jenny Lind’s presence on the Glasgow cultural scene, however, is better documented. The following advertisement is found in the  Glasgow Herald  on 29 September 1848 (alongside reports of Chopin’s visits, and concern regarding political developments in France). THEATRE ROYAL - JENNY LIND THE REMAINING TICKETS for the T...

Photo thanks to B.Porr Opened in 1840 and designed by an Irish born customs offical John Taylor, who worked for the customs. Still to be expanded and photograph needed!

A story of two families and a Scottish born German Hero involved in the plot to assassinate Hitler ... Lismore House, overlooking the River Kelvin - photo by R. Rawles Lismore House on Kelvin Drive is a Grade B listed detached house which was certainly occupied by a "Mrs Kiep" as she is listed on the Address book below. Two German brothers, with the name of Kiep, set up "Carl Kiep & Brother" in Glasgow, importing timber. Lismore House Photos by A.Rawles Lismore House overlooks a bend in the Kelvin River. The house still contains many period  features, including marble fireplaces, German light fittings, wood panelling and carvings.  The other house connected with the family (early 1900s) is at 4 Hughenden Terrace. 115 Kelvin Drive (glasgowwestaddress.co.uk) The River Kelvin from Lismore House I have attempted an excerpt of a family tree for the two families involved ...  ( Note : I am not entirely sure of the spellings of the names !) Johann Nikolaus Kiep was t...

Glasgow's Riverside Museum was named European Museum of the Year (EMYA) 2013 at a ceremony in Belgium.  The prestigious award is presented to museums which have been built or extensively refurbished within the previous three years. ( https://europeanforum.museum/winners/emya/ ) The £74m Riverside Museum, on the banks of the River Clyde, opened in 2011 and features the city's transport, shipbuilding and engineering heritage. It was designed by award-winning architect Zaha Hadid .  The European Museum of the Year Award (EMYA) was founded in 1977 under the auspices of the Council of Europe.  https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-22587979   The sail training ship the Glenlee which is docked here was from  1922 the sail training ship  Galatea  in the Spanish Navy. Photo: J. Wilson (2011) Map Reference: Eurowalk 2: Along the Clyde

In Kelvingrove Park, you can see "The Psalmist" by Benno Schotz who was born in Estonia and came to Glasgow where he ended up as head of sculpture at the Glasgow School of Art. Signature of Benno Schotz Photos by J. Wilson Some Benno Schotz sculptures in Glasgow museums: https://artuk.org/discover/artists/schotz-benno-18911984 Map Reference: Eurowalk 5 : Around Kelvingrove

Glasgow has a thriving musical and artistic scene. In fact, the European Commission commented in 2019: "As the UK’s top cultural and creative city, Glasgow is home to world-class museums, galleries, family-friendly attractions and an edgy contemporary art scene that shows the city at its energetic finest." Photos : J. Wilson "Glasgow crowned UK’s top cultural and creative city", Sunday Post, 2019:  https://www.sundaypost.com/fp/396198/ The concert hall was built when Glasgow was designated as European Capital of Culture for 1990. Designed by Sir Leslie Martin, the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall was officially opened on 5 October 1990 by Princess Anne. Photo: J. Wilson It was also the venue for a famous speech by Gordon Brown about the benefits of being in the EU: https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/news/politics/uk-politics/188045/eu-offers-safety-net-tory-devastation-claims-gordon-brown-glasgow-rally/amp/ Being European Capital of Culture really gave the Glasgow arts scene...

Hampden Park is the national football stadium of Scotland. It now has a 51,866-capacity but the European record attendance for an international football match took place here, with 149,415 attending a Scotland v England match in 1937. And another record crowd of over 127,000 for a European Cup final watched Real Madrid of Spain win 7-3 against Eintracht Frankfurt of West Germany.  The postponed 2020 UEFA European Football Championship or UEFA Euro 2020 are taking place this year (2021), all being well, at Hampden on the south side of Glasgow: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/56656500 Hampden in 2014 for the Commonwealth Games Photo: J.Wilson In club football, Glasgow teams like Celtic, Rangers and Partick Thistle have all played in European football and have featured a good number of players from across Europe. Partick Thistle Link In Women's football there have been some fabulous international links including Scottish players who have played in Italy, the most famous probably ...

The University was founded in 1451, so is Scotland's second oldest after St Andrews. A Papal Bull established this - signed by Pope Nicholas  https://www.universitystory.gla.ac.uk/papal-bull/  so this is a link with Rome, Italy! The interior doors of the Hunterian Museum (University of Glasgow) are carved by the famous sculptor and artist Eduardo Paolozzi - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eduardo_Paolozzi   and  https://www.gla.ac.uk/hunterian/collections/collectionsummaries/art/sculpture/ Entrance to the Hunterian Museum is in the image below ...   Photos : J. Wilson The University of Glasgow is Part of CIVIS European University ! https://civis.eu/sv/nyheter/the-civis-european-university-welcomes-the-university-of-glasgow-as-associate-partner Photos : J.Wilson Interesting history of Scotland's ancient Universities and links to Europe -  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_universities_in_Scotland   From the above reference, a few snippets are ...

The 1 938 Empire exhibition attracted over 12 million visitors to Bellahouston Park.   The Scottish Development Council and in particular two of its members  Sir James Lithgow, the industrialist and Britain`s foremost shipbuilder and the industrialist Sir Cecil Weir (see below), were the driving force behind this exhibition. With regards to European connections, a fascinating character is Sir Cecil McAlpine Weir,  the Glasgow industrialist Cecil McAlpine Weir (1890 - 1960), who had been involved in restarting industries in France and Germany at the end of WW2 and  was best known for his work as head of the United Kingdom Delegation to the High Authority of the  European Coal and Steel Community  from 1952 to 1955, a nd earlier as a prominent figure in the Control Commission for Germany. More about Cecil M Weir in the links below: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Empire_Exhibition,_Scotland https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/ Cecil_McAlpine_Weir https://l...

In Kelvingrove Park, this sculpture of a Tigress and Cubs was gifted to Glasgow by an ex Glaswegian John S.Kennedy, then living in New York. It was sculpted by  Auguste Nicolas Cain, a French sculptor . You can see his signature on the statue. Other similar statues by him can be found in New York Central and Les Jardins de Tuileries in Paris http://www.kelvingrovepark.com/heritage-tigress.html Photos : J.Wilson Map Reference: Eurowalk 5 : Around Kelvingrove

The Kelvin Way bridge has an interesting history. Completed in 1914, with four magnificent bronze sculptures on each corner representing "Peace and War", "Commerce and Industry", "Philosophy and Inspiration" and "Navigation and Shipbuilding" sculpted by Paul Raphael Montford, it was hit by a landmine during the Clydebank Blitz and ironically the "Peace and War" statue ended up falling into the River Kelvin,  War and Peace sculpture close-up The statue was finally rescued in 1949 and the sculpture was restored by Estonian born Sculptor Benno Schotz.  Finally, two arms from the statue were rescued from the river in the hot summer of 1991 to complete the restoration of the figures! (though I note that the plaque remembering the restoration seems to be on the Philosophy and Inspiration one ...)  Navigation and Shipbuilding (above) Commerce and Industry (above) Philosophy and Inspiration (above) Photos : J.Wilson Note:  Another Benno Schotz ...

The first and grandest red sandstone tenement in the city, A fitting tribute to tenement living, which is found commonly in Glasgow and Edinburgh as well as in USA in New York as well as in Berlin, Poland, Prague etc  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tenement  and  http://peoplelovespaces.net/articles/24 Charing Cross Mansions was built in 1889-91, and was a modified version of JJ Burnet's French Renaissance-style entry in the City Chambers Competition of 1880.   Photos: J. Wilson The new design included a grand clock at the centre, with sculptures surrounding it, inspired by Michelangelo . The two reclining figures at the top represent Commerce and Industry. There are also four figures representing the seasons and if you look closely at the clockface there are the signs of the zodiac - find out more here:   http://www.glasgowsculpture.com/pg_images.php?sub=charing_cross . The Glasgow Coat of Arms can also be seen. Some old photographs to see what Charing...

On the corner of Union Street and Gordon Street in the town centre of Glasgow, is this magnificent building modelled on the Ca D'Oro building in Venice. It is now Category A listed.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ca_d%27Oro_Building Image Attributes: Thomas Nugent / The Ca D'oro Building https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/dd/The_Ca_D%27oro_Building_-_geograph.org.uk_-_548181.jpg More information: https://www.theglasgowstory.com/image/?inum=TGSA05148 Map Reference: Eurowalk 6: Around the Town Centre

The design of Wellington Church on University Avenue was reputedly based on that of La Madeleine in Paris. Wellington Church Photo: J. Wilson Map Reference: Eurowalk 5: Around Kelvingrove

The City Chambers features Western Europe's largest marble staircase. The three ornate levels were built using Carrara marble imported from Italy.  As you climb the stairs there is a white lion carved in them.  It is considered “lucky” to rub the lion’s nose every time you pass by.  The City Chambers were designed by William Young,  The statue of a woman on top of the building is Truth and the statues beside her represent Riches and Honour. The dark wood in the Council Chamber itself is made from Spanish mahogany. The City Chambers also has on display information about links to Glasgow's Twin Towns. View from the City Chambers onto George Square Commemorative Plate from European City of Culture year 1990 Photos : J Wilson The magnificent interiors include marble staircases, grand rooms and wonderful paintings.  In the magnificent Banqueting Hall for example, you can this painting of Glasgow Fair on Glasgow Green: . Nelson Mandela received his Freedom of t...

The sculptures "The Attendants" and "The Gatekeeper" at this development were sculpted by Afro-Hungarian Dan Dubowitz. He was  NSK Artist In Residence, Ljubljana, 1993-4.  Some interesting history behind these can be found here:  http://www.glasgowsculpture.com/pg_biography.php?sub=heisenberg# https://www.artuk.org/discover/artworks/the-attendant-250428 The Gatekeeper symbolises the notion of Gorbals as a gateway for Irish, Jewish and Asian immigrant communities over the centuries: https://mccreathfamily.scot/places/glasgow/glasgow-public-sculptures/the-gatekeeper-g5/ Map Reference: Euro Driving Tour

Designed in 1905-07 by James Millar , the grand interior reflected the great success of the company. This is a Grade A1 listed building and was re-opened as a bar/restaurant in 2014. Some of the fabulous historic posters and documents have been reproduced from the University of Glasgow archives and can be seen on the walls in the restaurant - some are also on the website here. There is mention there of the ships stopping in Gibraltar. Our Story — The Anchor Line Some early history of the company can be found here - Shipping Line Histories - Anchor Line (Walter Runciman & Co. Ltd) (oceanlinermuseum .co.uk) Nicol Handyside, who along with his brother Robert, originally set up the company, was the Russian consul in Glasgow and the business traded with Russia and the Baltic! In the early 1850s, Nicol and Robert Handyside & Co had begun managing the ships of the Glasgow & Lisbon Steam Packet Co., and when that company went out of business in 1863, the trade was taken over by t...

The Glasgow Botanic Gardens have been on this current site, adjacent to the River Kelvin, since  1839 when they moved from a site west of Sauchiehall Street. They opened in 1842.  The Kibble Palace glasshouse (see photograph below) was originally a private conservatory located at Coulport on Loch Long. It was moved to its present site in 1873 and was first used as a concert hall and meeting place, hosting celebrated speakers such as Gladstone and Disraeli.  Photos by J.Wilson (Glasow Loves EU) The Kibble Palace and the magnolia tree in the foreground was bred in Paris ! The statues in Kibble Palace include ones by the Italian Antonio Rossetti: http://www.glasgowsculpture.com/pg_biography.php?sub=rossetti_a# the Italian sculptor Scipio Tadolini whose sculpture "Eve" can be seen:  http://www.glasgowsculpture.com/pg_biography.php?sub=tadolini_s# .  Also "Ruth" by Giovanni Ciniselli  http://www.glasgowsculpture.com/pg_biography.php?sub=ciniselli_g# Glasgo...