Glasgow, Scotland’s largest city, is a place of contrasts—where medieval roots meet industrial might, grand Victorian architecture towers over ancient sites, and modern creativity thrives beside timeworn traditions.
How old is Glasgow? In 2025, the city celebrates Glasgow 850, marking 850 years since its official founding. It’s the perfect time to reflect on the captivating story of how Glasgow grew from a humble riverside settlement into one of the UK’s most influential cities.
Sacred Origins: Early Glasgow and St Mungo
Long before Glasgow’s name echoed across the globe, it began as a small religious community along the banks of the River Clyde. St Mungo (also known as Kentigern), a 6th-century Christian missionary and Glasgow’s patron saint, sits at the heart of its foundation.
According to legend, St Mungo was invited by the King of Strathclyde to establish a church near the Molendinar Burn - a tributary of the River Clyde. It was there, around 540 AD, that he built a simple religious cell and began preaching Christianity to the people of Strathclyde.
The settlement that grew around his church became known as “Glasgu”- a Brythonic name meaning “dear green place.”
Though small and spiritual in its early days, this monastic centre sowed the seeds for Glasgow’s future significance.
The Medieval Burgh: Glasgow’s First Steps as a City
The year 1175 marked a turning point. King William the Lion granted Glasgow a royal charter, officially recognising it as a burgh. This allowed Glasgow to hold markets and manage its own affairs - an important milestone in the city’s development. This event is the reason behind the Glasgow 850 celebrations in 2025.
During the Medieval period, the city grew around the Cathedral of St Mungo, which was completed in the 13th century and remains one of the finest examples of Gothic architecture in Scotland. Pilgrims flocked to St Mungo’s shrine, and Glasgow’s position as a religious and commercial centre began to flourish.
Glasgow’s first university was founded in 1451 by Pope Nicholas V at the request of Bishop William Turnbull. The University of Glasgow made the city a hub of learning and theology during the late Middle Ages, drawing scholars and clerics from across Europe.
Trade, Tobacco, and the Rise of Merchant Power
The 17th and 18th centuries brought radical transformation. Glasgow’s location on the River Clyde proved pivotal, as improved navigation allowed ships to sail further inland. This opened the city to transatlantic trade, especially with the Americas and the Caribbean.
By the 1700s, Glasgow was thriving as a mercantile powerhouse. The so-called “Tobacco Lords”- wealthy merchants dealing in tobacco, sugar, and cotton -accumulated vast fortunes and built opulent mansions that still dot the city today, particularly around Merchant City.
Though their wealth drove urban expansion, it’s important to acknowledge that much of it was rooted in slavery and colonial exploitation - a fact modern Glasgow increasingly confronts with honesty and public dialogue.
Alongside the tobacco trade, shipbuilding began to take root. The Clyde became synonymous with heavy industry and shipyards, laying the foundation for what would become a global shipbuilding capital.
The Industrial Age: Glasgow’s Transformation
The 19th century saw Glasgow reach the zenith of its industrial power. Known as the “Second City of the Empire,” Glasgow became a global centre of shipbuilding, engineering, steel, textiles, and finance. The River Clyde was lined with massive shipyards and factories, and Glasgow-built vessels sailed the globe under the Union Jack.
The population exploded - from around 77,000 in 1801 to over 750,000 by the end of the century - as people poured in from across Scotland, Ireland, and beyond to seek work. Immigrants settled in tenement housing, and entire neighbourhoods sprang up overnight.
This rapid expansion brought both innovation and hardship. The city boasted advances in science, medicine, and engineering - home to figures like Lord Kelvin and James Watt - while also grappling with overcrowding, disease, and poor living conditions for the working classes.
Philanthropic industrialists, religious institutions, and early reformers began tackling social inequality, establishing parks, libraries, and improved housing projects.
Victorian Grandeur and Cultural Flourish
Victorian Glasgow was as much about cultural ambition as industrial might. Grand civic buildings, theatres, galleries, and universities showcased the city’s wealth and intellectual pride.
George Square, the City Chambers, and the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum - opened in 1901 - are just a few of the architectural gems from this era.
The Glasgow School of Art, led by the innovative architect and designer Charles Rennie Mackintosh, helped shape the city’s unique artistic identity.
Music halls, football clubs, and trade unions also grew rapidly, reflecting the city’s diverse working population. Glasgow’s culture was both rich and deeply rooted in the everyday lives of its people.
War, Decline, and Rebirth
The 20th century ushered in new challenges. Both World Wars demanded immense industrial output from Glasgow’s shipyards, but the post-war period saw a steady decline in heavy industry. As global trade routes shifted and competition increased, Glasgow’s manufacturing sector collapsed, leading to widespread unemployment and urban decay.
Entire communities suffered economic and social deprivation, particularly in the east and along the river. In the 1960s and 70s, large-scale housing schemes were created to rehouse families in places like Easterhouse, Drumchapel, and Castlemilk, though many were later criticised for their design and isolation.
Yet even amid decline, the seeds of regeneration were sown.
The late 20th century witnessed a cultural renaissance. Glasgow was named the European City of Culture in 1990, a recognition that catalysed investment in the arts, architecture, and urban renewal. The city repositioned itself as a centre for music, design, and innovation.
New venues like the SEC Armadillo, Riverside Museum, and The Burrell Collection enhanced its cultural landscape, while the Clyde Waterfront Regeneration breathed new life into former industrial areas.
A City of Today: Innovation and Diversity
Modern Glasgow is a far cry from the grimy industrial metropolis of the past. It is now a vibrant, diverse city with world-class universities, hospitals, sports venues, and an award-winning food and music scene. It continues to attract people from all over the world, creating a multicultural energy that defines its 21st-century identity.
Glasgow has embraced renewable energy and life sciences while maintaining its traditional strengths in education, design, and the arts.
Events like COP26, hosted in 2021, placed Glasgow on the world stage once more, as a hub of climate discussion and environmental advocacy.
Sport has also played a significant role in shaping the city’s reputation, with Celtic and Rangers football clubs commanding global fanbases and the 2014 Commonwealth Games boosting civic pride and infrastructure. The games will return to Glasgow in 2026.
Glasgow 850: A Celebration of Heritage and Hope
As Glasgow celebrates 850 years since it received its royal charter, the city is taking time to honour its past while looking boldly to the future.The Glasgow 850 Celebrations showcase the city’s history, from Medieval Glasgow to its industrial heyday and modern reinvention.
Events, exhibitions, walking tours, and public art installations all highlight the city’s deep and varied roots - highlighting both triumphs and traumas.
During these celebrations, the focus on the River Clyde reminds Glaswegians and visitors alike that Glasgow’s lifeblood - its river - has always been central to its story.
From the religious settlements beside the Molendinar Burn to the steamships that dominated global trade, the Clyde remains a powerful symbol of the city’s resilience and transformation.
Explore Glasgow with Scottish Tours
Discover Glasgow’s many attractions with Scottish Tours.
Take your seat on the Glasgow City Tour, where 21 convenient stops allow you to hop-off to visit sprawling parks, inspiring museums and fascinating galleries. Discover the city’s history as you travel along the banks of the River Clyde and through bustling neighbourhoods.
Using Glasgow as a base, you can explore further afield on a day tour to Loch Ness, Stirling Castle or even take a trip on the Jacobite Steam Train.
Browse our tours and book today.
Picture credits: Visit Glasgow and VisitScotland