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Glasgow City Chambers rises behind a stone cenotaph draped with red poppy wreaths, a rope barrier enclosing the memorial.
Glasgow

Glasgow City Chambers

Welcome

Glasgow City Chambers was designed by the Scottish architect William Young, and Queen Victoria opened it in 1888 after six years of building.

It stands at the focal point of George Square, and it has been the home of the city's council for more than a hundred years. On weekdays the public can step inside to see the largest marble staircase in western Europe and more than 1.5 million hand-laid tiles on the vaulted ceilings and domes.

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Ben Lerwill

From our guide to Glasgow

The City Chambers were built at huge expense in the 1880s and remain a deeply extravagant statement, their halls and ceilings adorned with all manner of design flourishes. Most notable of all are the wide winding stairs, crafted from imported Italian Carrara marble – it’s said that the staircase is the biggest of its kind in Western Europe.

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What is on

What is new across Glasgow, day by day.

New places, news and stories, as we find them.

What is on in Glasgow
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  1. White wine poured at a table of Greek dishes and a potted succulent.HalloumiGreek and Cypriot mezze on Hope Street behind a blue front: gyros, souvlaki and grilled halloumi, with Greek wines, beers and cocktails.Under a mile 1 min by road
  2. The Horseshoe's front lit at night, its name across the windows.The Horseshoe BarA Victorian pub of 1884 on Drury Street, with a horseshoe-shaped island bar 104 feet long, said to be the longest in Europe.Under a mile 1 min by road
  3. A sauce being poured over a plate of fish.GambaUnder a mile 1 min by road
  4. Dahi ke kebab in a nest of crisp vermicelli on beetroot ketchup and green chutney, on a patterned plate at Kalinga.Kalinga by Sagar MasseyUnder a mile as the crow flies
  5. Cakes and a red teapot at a window table in Laboratorio Espresso, with the sandstone buildings of West Nile Street beyond.Laboratorio EspressoA small speciality espresso bar on West Nile Street, a block from Queen Street station, with pastries and sandwiches, open every day.Under a mile as the crow flies
  6. Wooden shelves of whisky and spirits running the length of the Good Spirits Co. on Bath Street, with a barrel of bottles in the front.The Good Spirits Co.A specialist whisky and spirits shop on Bath Street, opened in 2011, with a tasting room for whisky, wine and cocktail evenings.Under a mile as the crow flies
Directions
Inside Rubadub on Howard Street: racks of records in the middle of the floor, synths and drum machines on the shelves, and a spiral stair up to the gallery.ShoppingRubadub0.3 miles
Mezcal's corner on Hope Street, with its green sign and tables on the pavement.RestaurantsMezcal0.3 miles
Stereo's doorway on Renfield Lane, a board by the steps.CafeStereo0.3 miles
Gordon St Coffee shopfront with outdoor tables and chalkboard menu on the pavementCafeGordon St Coffee0.3 miles
Arancini with salad and a pot of tomato sauce.RestaurantsLa Lanterna0.3 miles
The busy dining room with its gallery above and lamps glowing.RestaurantsChaakoo Bombay Cafe0.3 miles
Bibimbap's shopfront on West Nile Street with a parasol outside.RestaurantsBibimbap0.3 miles
Panang's dark front with lanterns in the windows.RestaurantsPanang0.3 miles
A golden cocktail with a lemon twist held at the bar.RestaurantsTabac0.3 miles

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Stay nearby

Places to stay near Glasgow City Chambers, and when each is next free.

A grey sofa with cushions sits before a black and white kitchen, a framed print on the wall to the left.Moment Blythswood Street
  • Sleeps 2
  • In Glasgow
  • Under a mile from Glasgow City Chambers
Check datesA grey corner sofa with cushions and a sheepskin throw sits before a shelf of books and a round mirror, a wood burning stove and log store to the right.Talli House
  • Sleeps 4
  • In Dunlop
  • 12 miles from Glasgow City Chambers
Free 11–13 JanPlaces to stayEvery stay in GlasgowAll our places to stay nearby, to search by date and by who is coming.See them all
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What we have written about it and more in Glasgow.

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