Glasgow is a port city situated on the River Clyde in the western Lowlands of Scotland. It is renowned for its Victorian and Art Nouveau architecture, a testament to the city's success in the 18th and 20th centuries due to its trade and shipbuilding industries. Nowadays, it is a national cultural hub, home to institutions such as the Scottish Opera, the Scottish Ballet and the National Theatre of Scotland, as well as renowned museums and a vibrant music scene. Glasgow, or Gaelic Glaschu in Gaelic, is located in central-west Scotland, along both banks of the River Clyde, 32 km (20 miles) from its mouth on the western or Atlantic coast.
It is the largest city in Scotland and forms an independent municipal area that lies entirely within the historic county of Lanarkshire. The city is situated on the west coast of Scotland, in the Glasgow metropolitan area, and is part of the Clyde Valley. Legend has it that Saint Mungo preached a sermon with the words “Lord: Let Glasgow flourish by preaching the word and praising your name”. The tower of the main building of the University of Glasgow by Sir George Gilbert Scott (the second largest Neo-Gothic building in Great Britain) is an iconic landmark that can be seen for miles around, at the top of Gilmorehill.
The city's suburban network is currently divided by the River Clyde and the Crossrail Glasgow initiative has been proposed to unite them; it is currently awaiting funding from the Scottish Government. There are several radio stations broadcasting from Glasgow, such as 105.2 Smooth Radio, Real Radio and 96.3 Rock Radio, all owned by GMG Radio. Two are dedicated to Glasgow, while the third is Edinburgh International, which, being located on the west side of Edinburgh, is relatively close to Glasgow. Celtic Park (60,411 seats) is located on the east end of Glasgow and Ibrox Stadium (50,817 seats) on the south side.
There are also several Western Scottish Football League clubs in the city, such as Pollok, Maryhill, Benburb, Ashfield and Glasgow Perthshire F. C.When trade with America began to develop in the 18th century, Glasgow was already exporting charcoal, squares (woolen cloth) and herring to Europe. Charles Rennie Mackintosh was an architect and designer of the Arts and Crafts Movement and a leading exponent of Art Nouveau in Britain; he designed numerous famous buildings in Glasgow such as The Glasgow School of Art, The Willow Tea Rooms and The Scottish Street School Museum. Due to its western position and its proximity to the Atlantic Ocean, Glasgow has a milder climate than other parts of Scotland at similar latitudes. With two main train stations - Central and Queen Street - Glasgow offers fast connections to other parts of Scotland and beyond.