Thriving City

The Thriving City story map offers an opportunity to explore the historical heritage of High Street in Glasgow.

The stone-built religious heart of Glasgow in the north of the town and the busy jostling burgh in the south -the two areas grew together along the high street and benefitted from each other.

Medieval Glasgow began with the building of it’s Cathedral in 1119, by Bishop John on the site of St Kentigern's (or St Mungo's) first church.

The influence of Glasgow as a major ecclesiastical centre, had an important economic influence on the development of the town. William the Lion, gave the town burgh status in the 12th century and by the 15th century Glasgow had become a thriving town. This expansion continued through to the 19th century, where Glasgow’s industrial and global trade led to its being nicknamed ‘ The Workshop of the Empire’.  Today the landscape of buildings such as the Old Pedagogy, the Bishop's Castle, the Old College and the Friaries (which once dominated the High Street for hundreds of years) now lie beneath Glasgow’s Victorian architecture and new developments.

To showcase some of the area's rich heritage, we have installed several Heritage Banners along the length of the street. This trail provides a glimpse of this hidden past, by showing you the people, places and events which took place along this street across 1,500 years.

Welcome to the vibrant heart of the High Street's urban landscape, where history meets modernity in a tapestry of winding alleys and bustling streets. As you delve into the intricacies of the city's Close, Wynd, and Vennel network, you embark on a journey through time, exploring the rich heritage and dynamic evolution of Glasgow's thriving High Street culture. Nestled within the passages are hidden gems waiting to be discovered, each corner revealing a new chapter in Glasgow's story. From the medieval origins of the closes, with their narrow cobblestone paths echoing with the whispers of centuries past, to the vibrant energy of the modern High Street, pulsating with life and innovation, every step you take unveils layers of history and culture.