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Glasgow's history stems back to the sixth century when an ecclesiastical community was established by St. Mungo. His church was built on the site of the present Glasgow Cathedral. From this beginning, the town of 'Glas Cau', meaning 'dear, green place', took hold and gradually spread over the many gradual hills that surround the River Clyde.
Following the Treaty of Union in 1707, trade with the New World increased and Glasgow became one of the principal European ports handling mainly tobacco and sugar. The Industrial Revolution brought activity such as textile and chemical production but, with coal abundant in the seams of Lanarkshire to fuel ironworks, the city took to a wide range of heavy industries, ship and locomotive building being the most conspicuous. The Clyde, formerly a shallow river, was dredged in the late 1700s and Glasgow became the world's leading shipbuilding centre.
In the 1840s Glasgow's population dramatically increased when deposed Highlanders joined the thousands fleeing Ireland's potato famine. They descended on the city to provide cheap labour. Upmarket residential areas such as the Gorbals on the south side of the river were take-over to working class families. But, under a huge pressure of numbers and with little maintenance, these estates quickly fell into decay and Glasgow's problems grew as quickly as wealth.
Nowadays, with their city spruced up and a positive atmosphere in the streets, Glasgow's populous appear as chic as those in Rome or Paris. Sitting outside the many coffee bars or browsing through art galleries scattered throughout the town, their reputation for friendliness is only surpassed by their trenchant sense of humour.
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