Merchant City

Merchant City
Scots: Merchand Ceity
The Merchant City at night
Merchant City Merchant City shown within Glasgow
OS grid reference	NS595649
Council area	Glasgow City Council
Lieutenancy area	Glasgow
Country	Scotland
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	GLASGOW
Postcode district	G1
Dialling code	0141
Police	Scottish
Fire	Scottish
Ambulance	Scottish
EU Parliament	Scotland
UK Parliament	Glasgow Central
Scottish Parliament	Glasgow Kelvin
List of places UK Scotland Glasgow

Coordinates: 55°51′24″N 4°14′46″W / 55.8568°N 4.2462°W / 55.8568; -4.2462

The Merchant City is a district in the city centre of Glasgow, Scotland.

History

The medieval Glasgow Cross was located on the road between High Street and Saltgait. Its modern replacement was built to the south-east of the original location to aid traffic. The town's tron was placed on the steeple of the town house in the 1550s. The Tron Steeple, as it became known, still stands in Glasgow Cross, one of the few remaining pre-Victorian buildings in Glasgow.

The area now known as 'Merchant City' was developed from the 1750s onwards. Residences and warehouses of the wealthy merchant "tobacco lords" (who prospered in shipping and, amongst other things, tobacco, sugar and tea) were built in the area. The district west of the High Street formed the historic backbone of the city, the development of what is now known as with wide, straight streets, vistas, and squares, marked the beginning of a process of aspirational residential movement westwards that would continue throughout the 19th century and into the 20th with the development of Blythswood Hill, Hillhead and the West End of Glasgow.

Tolbooth Steeple.

As Glasgow expanded in the 19th century to become the second city of the United Kingdom and its British Empire, the area became a working district of warehouses and home to the city's central fruit, vegetable and cheese markets.

After plans to construct a ring road around the city centre were published in the 1960s the area fell into decline, with many of the buildings compulsorily purchased by the city council to allow for their demolition and the central markets moved to modern premises outside the city centre. However the road was never built and in the 1980s the decision was taken to revitalise the area and its historic buildings with the public ownership of properties allowing large scale redevelopment.

The name 'Merchant City' was coined during this regeneration and was not used historically. Historically the area was called 'Trongate', 'the tron' or Glasgow Cross, 'cross' or simply by most Glaswegians 'the toun' or 'the town'.

The Merchant City has been promoted and built up in recent years as a residential, shopping and leisure area, mirroring Covent Garden in the West End of London. To this end many new bars and restaurants have been established. This has been complemented with the building of prestigious new housing developments, often by restoring Victorian buildings. An example being the GPO Building development.

Another important element of the area's transformation is high-end shopping, anchored by the Italian Centre, home to, amongst others, Versace Collections (the UK's first Versace store) and Emporio Armani. The Italian Centre was designed by Page\Park Architects who are fond of including art in their architecture. Here the art is integral to the façades, but also features in the courtyard including a sculpture, 'Thinking of Bella' (1994) by Shona Kinloch. Recent shopping developments include Bang and Olufsen, Bose, Escada, Ralph Lauren, Mulberry and underwear and lingerie Agent Provocateur stores. The annual Merchant City Festival takes place in September attracting tens of thousands to the area with its multi-arts programme.

In 2006 Merchant City was winner of The Great Neighbourhood Award from The Academy of Urbanism.

References

Elizabeth Williamson, Anne Riches and Malcolm Higgs (Ed.'s), The Buildings of Scotland: Glasgow (better known as the Pevsner Guide to Glasgow). Penguin, London, 1990.

External links

Media related to Merchant City at Wikimedia Commons
Merchant City & Trongate Community Council
Merchant City Architecture
Photographs of the Italian Centre in the Merchant City, Glasgow
Merchant City Festival website
Merchant City history - Clyde Waterfront Heritage

Areas of Glasgow

North of the River Clyde	Anderston Anniesland Auchenshuggle Baillieston Balornock Barlanark Barmulloch Barrowfield Blackhill Blairdardie Blochairn Blythswood Hill Botany Braidfauld Bridgeton Broomhill Budhill Calton Camlachie Carmyle Carntyne Colston Cowcaddens Cowlairs Craigend Charing Cross Cranhill Dalmarnock Dennistoun Dowanhill Drumchapel Easterhouse Easthall Finnieston Garnethill Garrowhill Garscadden Garthamlock Germiston Gilshochill Greenfield Haghill Hamiltonhill High Ruchill Hillhead Hogganfield Hyndland Jordanhill Kelvinbridge Kelvindale Kelvinside Knightswood Lambhill Lightburn Lilybank Maryhill Maryhill Park Merchant City Millerston Milton Mount Vernon Netherton Newbank North Kelvinside Park District Parkhead Partick Partickhill Possilpark Provanhall Provanmill Queenslie Riddrie Robroyston Roystonhill Ruchazie Ruchill Sandyhills Scotstoun Scotstounhill Shettleston Sighthill Springboig Springburn Springhill Summerston Swinton Temple Thornwood Tollcross Townhead Wellhouse West End Whiteinch Woodlands Woodside Wyndford Yoker Yorkhill

South of the River Clyde	Arden Auldhouse Battlefield Bellahouston Cardonald Carmunnock Carnwadric Castlemilk Cathcart Cessnock Corkerhill Cowglen Craigton Croftfoot Crookston Crosshill Crossmyloof Darnley Deaconsbank Drumoyne Dumbreck Govan Govanhill Gorbals Halfway Hillington Hillpark Hurlet Hutchesontown Ibrox Jenny Lind Kennishead King's Park Kinning Park Langside Laurieston Linthouse Mansewood Merrylee Mosspark Mount Florida Muirend Newlands Nitshill Oatlands Penilee Pollok Pollokshaws Pollokshields Polmadie Priesthill Queen's Park Roughmussel Shawlands Shieldhall Simshill South Nitshill Southpark Village Strathbungo Toryglen Tradeston

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