Remains of Stirlingfauld Place

You might remember about a month ago I showed you a sequence of pictures from the demolition of Stirlingfauld Place, one of Glasgow’s notorious tower blocks. 2 or 3 weeks ago I was going past, and this was what was left. I think it will take quite a while to clear it all up.

The plans for the area apparently, according to an Evening Times article I read just before the demolition, are to create something like 1,600 new residences, plus some open green spaces and walkways. It’s a biggish area, but not *that* big - I can’t imagine how they’re going to fit that many new residences in without just putting them all on top of the other, which would rather defeat the object of the demolition, it seems to me!

I should say that the blocks in the background, Norfolk Court, aren’t actually leaning like the tower at Pisa. I must have just judged the picture by the verticals of the barrier in the foreground rather than looking at the background, as it was only when I uploaded the picture that I noticed the lean! That would be a very Glasgow-esque twist for a tourist attraction, I reckon - the Leaning Tower of Gorbals

Glasgow University Wolfson Building

This building houses the Department of Medicine. It was built in 2001 and has won several design awards. I like this picture as from this angle it almost looks 2D, like there’s nothing behind it.  I also like the reflections in the glass in this one.

It’s an old photo, taken in late autumn a couple of years ago. However the weather has been so miserable the last few days that I just needed to see a bit of colour, so I dug it out to brighten up the place a bit

Map of Cathedral Precinct

To round up the Cathedral Vicinity series I’ve just finished, here is a handy map to show you where everything is in relation to everything else. There are a few of these maps dotted around the city centre - I’ve already shown the one in Buchanan Street.

On the left is Provand’s Lordship, with St Mungo’s Museum just over the road, a bit to the right. Right of centre and up a bit (I give such blonde directions!!!) is the Cathedral, and then further to the right (and down a bit!) over the road is the Necropolis.

In other news, I have finally got my act together and sorted out my blogroll. In the links to the right are various blogs and other sites related either to Glasgow or to Scotland, and are all well worth a look. Don’t forget that if you want to see other Daily Photo Blogs from round the world, the “City Daily Photo Blog Links” page (see links at the top) will take you there.

Provand’s Lordship

Provand’s Lordship is the oldest house in Glasgow - it was built in 1471. It was part of the St Nicholas’ Hospital development, and originally it probably housed clergy and support staff from the Cathedral. It’s now a museum. This photo is of the rear of the house, and also shows St Nicholas Gardens, which were opened in the 90s (if I remember the sign correctly!) by the Princess Royal.

St Mungo Museum of Religious Life and Art

This museum is close to the Cathedral, and is said to be the only public museum in the world devoted solely to religion. It opened in 1993. I haven’t seen any other building like it in Glasgow - it seems to be one of a kind!

As well as exhibits relating to Christianity, it also houses exhibits from all the major world religions, including a Zen garden.

View from the Necropolis

A return to colour, and my last picture (for now!) from the Necropolis. This is looking towards the city centre and beyond to the south side of Glasgow.

Necropolis beauty

Although you can see the face of this figure has partly worn away, there was something about it that I just thought was beautiful. I’m really in awe of the sculptor’s skill - they’ve managed to portray grief, longing, hope, prayer, and so much more, that can still be felt after all these years. Stunning.

Necropolis - close-up

I’ve no idea what the story is behind this carving on one of the columns marking one of the graves, but it is a great illustration of the type of detail (and also, judging by the crumbling stone, the years of history) that you can find round every corner in the Necropolis.

I took a million photos while I was there (it’s a photographer’s dream!), but only captured a fraction of the place! I’ll show one or two more over the next couple of days, and keep the rest for odd days here and there

Necropolis

Over the way from the Cathedral is the Necropolis, which is a wonderful old cemetery. Originally a park of fir trees, after the trees started dying it was identified as the ideal place for a cemetery “respectful to the dead, safe and sanitary to the living, dedicated to the Genius of Memory and to extend religious and moral feeling”. The first burial here was in 1832, and it is absolutely full of wonderful overgrown huge headstones and tombs. I’ll show you some of them over the next few days. There is some more information about the Necropolis here.

[I'm not taking part in the City Daily Photo Blogs Theme Day this month, as I didn't feel particularly inspired by the theme. But do go to my City Daily Photo Blog page and click on some of the links, for pictures of "No" signs throughout the world.]

Can you Adam and Eve it?

Sorry for the delay in posting this - I thought I had lined it up yesterday to post at midnight as usual, but clearly the red wine led to a bit of a blonde moment

I was really pleased with this picture - my attempts at photographing stained glass windows NEVER come out. It depicts Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.

Tomorrow I’ll start showing some of the delights around and about the Cathedral.