Mercat Cross Glasgow photos, Merchant City architecture, Architect, Date, Location, Date, Images, history
Mercat Cross, Glasgow
Historic Merchant City Building, Scotland design by Edith Burnet Hughes
post updated 15 February 2025
Date built: 1930
Design: Edith Burnet Hughes
Location: southeast corner of the Merchant City, just east of the Tron Kirk
Mercat Cross
building image © Adrian Welch Sep 2006
Glasgow Cross is located at the hub of the ancient royal burgh and now city of Glasgow, close to its first crossing over the River Clyde. It marks the notional boundary between the city centre and the East End.
Mercat Cross Glasgow
Mercat Cross photo © AW
As a major junction at the gateway into the city centre, its five streets run as follows:
– north up the High Street to Glasgow Cathedral, Cathedral Square and the Royal Infirmary
– east along Gallowgate and London Road, close to St Andrew’s Square
– south on the Saltmarket to Glasgow Green and the Justiciary Buildings
– west along Trongate continuing as Argyle Street towards St Enoch Square and Buchanan Street.
Mercat Building by Graham Henderson from 1922
It has two key recognisable features:
The Tolbooth Steeple is the surviving part of the 17th century Glasgow Tolbooth. The mercat cross replica commissioned in 1929 by William George Black, and designed by architect Edith Hughes.
Glasgow Cross – Merchant Building
photo © AJW
The nearby Tron Theatre, formerly the Tron Kirk, built in 1794 is one of the oldest buildings in the city:
Tron Kirk Glasgow
architecture photo © Adrian Welch
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Glasgow Building Designs
Contemporary Glasgow Property Designs – recent Strathclyde architectural selection below:
Historic Glasgow: best Glasgow buildings of the past
Glasgow Walking Tours – architectural city walks by e-architect guides, running since 2002
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Buildings close to the Mercat Cross
Ingram Square Flats
photo © Adrian Welch
Jigsaw Glasgow, south side of Ingram Street
photo © Adrian Welch
Jurys Inn Hotel
photo © Adrian Welch
Glasgow Historic Building Designs
Old properties very close to the Mercat Cross:
Britannia Music Hall, 113-117 Trongate, G1 5HD – located east along the Argyle Street thoroughfare
Britannia Music Hall
Trades Hall, 85 Glassford Street, G1 1UH – located towards the middle of the Merchant City area
Trades Hall
Historic Glasgow Property Designs – recent Strathclyde architectural selection below:
Custom House Building Renewal
Glasgow Custom House Development
Briggait Centre
Renewal Design: Nicoll Russell Studios Architects, Dundee
Briggait Centre
City Chambers, George Square
City Chambers
Old Glaswegian buildings located further away, west of the city centre:
Glasgow School of Art, 167 Renfrew Street
Kelvingrove Gallery, West End
Old Glaswegian properties located further away, to the south of the River Clyde and the city centre:
House for an Art Lover, Bellahouston Park, south west of the city centre
166 Gorbals Street Glasgow community space gallery building
Comments / photos for the Mercat Cross Building – Historic Glaswegian Architecture, Strathclyde, southwest Scotland, UK, page welcome.