Charing Cross Mansions |
Most visitors to Glasgow are impressed by Charing Cross Mansions, the French early renaissance-style development which literally put "mansions up closes” in the city centre when it was built in 1889-90.
Luckily for us, it narrowly avoided the fate of so many fine buildings in that part of the city when the M8 tore throughin the late 1960s.
Charing Cross Mansions is one of the most prestigious addresses in Glasgow.
An imposing red sandstone curved building at Sauchiehall Street and St George’s Road, it was one of the first sandstone buildings to be erected in the city.
Built in 1891 and based on the design of Scottish Edwardian architect John Iames Burnet (who was unsuccessful with his entry to design Glasgow "City Chambers in 1882)
the eight figures surrounding the clock were sculpted by William Birnie Rhind.
Rhind would go on to create the seated figure of Science in the city’s Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum in 1898.
Indicating the passing of time and the seasons, the clock face at the Mansions is bordered with the signs of the zodiac, together with an enigmatic male mask probably representing Old Father Time himself
(which looks remarkably like a portrait of Burnet), and is surrounded by four crouching and standing figures representing Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter.
The clock is surmounted by two reclining figures representing Commerce and Industry, in poses similar to those on Michelangelo’s Tomb of Guiliano Medici in San Lorenzo Florence, of around 1534.
The other sculptural ornament includes splendid escutcheons bearing the Glasgow Arms and monograms carved with the entwined letters R and S.
Charing Cross itself takes its name originally from a block of tenements named Charing Cross Place built in the 1850s, which continue at the south-West corner with North Street.
The junction of Sauchiehall Street was formed as part of the original development of Blythswood Hill including Blythswood Square.
Just round the corner from the Mansions, at the bottom of Renfrew Street, stands a later Burnet building.
Built of red sandstone, Albany Mansions would stand out strongly in another part of the city but is overshadowed by its more famous neighbour.
Nevertheless, it is a fine building and was designed by Burnet a few years after Charing Cross Mansions was completed.
Charing Cross Mansions |
Charing Cross Mansions |
Charing Cross Mansions |
Clock on Charing Cross Mansions |
Old photo of Charing Cross |
Charing Cross Mansions ( 1889 - 91 ) French Renaissance frontage - A class "A" listed building |
St George's Mansions at Charing Cross |
St George's Mansions at Charing Cross |
M8 Motorway through Glasgow at Charing Cross |
Mitchell Library at Charing Cross The library is one of Europe’s
largest public libraries |
Mitchell Library at Charing Cross |
Dome above entrance to the Mitchell Library |
Mitchell Library illuminated at night |
Mitchell Library illuminated at night |
Mitchell
Library
in Granton Street
The frontage of the old Saint Andrew's Halls |
Charing Cross |
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