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Neighborhood
Charing Cross
Road junction and area on the boundary of the city center and the West End, where Sauchiehall Street and Woodlands Road meet.
A mini guide to
Charing Cross & Garnethill
Where the city center meets the West End: Sauchiehall Street, Garnethill and a Victorian synagogue
Photos
1 / 5Welcome to the area
Where the city center meets the West End: Sauchiehall Street, Garnethill and a Victorian synagogue
Charing Cross is a road junction on the north-west edge of the city center. Wikipedia describes it as the notional boundary between the City Centre and the West End, with Sauchiehall Street, Woodlands Road and the M8 highway meeting there. Garnethill, the hill to the east, is a mainly residential area with a number of important public buildings.
Garnethill Synagogue, completed in 1881, is considered the cathedral synagogue of Scotland, and the Scottish Jewish Archives Centre is nearby. Glasgow Art Club, the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons and the Georgian Blythswood Square lie to the south and east, and St Mary's Cathedral and Woodlands are to the north-west. Guest houses and hotels line Renfrew Street and Bath Street, a short walk from Glasgow School of Art and the Tenement House (see the city center page).
Highlights
Start here
If you only have a few hours, these are good places to begin.
Neighborhood
Garnethill
Mainly residential hill north of Sauchiehall Street with a number of important public buildings.
Synagogue
Garnethill Synagogue
Orthodox synagogue completed in 1881, considered the cathedral synagogue of Scotland.
Directions Website Report a problem with Garnethill Synagogue
Archive
Scottish Jewish Archives Centre
Repository of items on Jewish migration to Scotland and Jewish life in Scotland from the 18th century to today.
Directions Report a problem with Scottish Jewish Archives Centre
Arts club
Glasgow Art Club
Artists' club in a Category A listed building, with exhibitions, events and lunchtime concerts open to the public.
Monument
Charles Cameron Memorial Fountain
Doultonware fountain of 1896 at Woodside Crescent, known for its eastward lean.
Directions Report a problem with Charles Cameron Memorial Fountain
Find your way
On the map
The map shows Charing Cross & Garnethill and the streets around it. The Getting there page lists nearby stops and stations.
Insider tips
Before you go
1
Look at the leaning fountain
Wikipedia says the Charles Cameron Memorial Fountain, dating from 1896, has a pronounced eastward lean first noted in 1926. The story that the M8 caused it is described there as an urban myth.
2
Visit the synagogue with a plan
Garnethill Synagogue describes itself as Scotland's first purpose-built synagogue. Check garnethill.org.uk for visiting arrangements before you go.
3
Use the Subway at Cowcaddens
SPT lists the Glasgow School of Art, the Glasgow Film Theatre and the Tenement House as near Cowcaddens station. Those sights are on the city center page.
4
Walk to the West End
Wikipedia places Charing Cross on the boundary of the West End. Woodlands Road leads toward Kelvinbridge and the university.
Tips from the Britlens editors
Explore this guide
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Open the mini guide →Photo credits
- Charing Cross & Garnethill (area photo): Sonictiller, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Charing Cross: Stephen McKay, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Garnethill: Ian Paterson, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Garnethill Synagogue: WeeHolly, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Scottish Jewish Archives Centre: WeeHolly, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Glasgow Art Club: Stinglehammer, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Charles Cameron Memorial Fountain: Sonictiller, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow: Stinglehammer, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Blythswood Square: dun_deagh, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Sauchiehall Street: Daniel Hughes, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Woodlands: Edward at English Wikipedia, Public domain, source
- St Mary's Cathedral: WeeHolly, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- West End & Kelvingrove: Suicasmo, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Merchant City & City Centre: Michael D Beckwith, CC0, source
- Finnieston, Clydeside & the Riverside: Rosser1954, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- The Southside: Gordon Brown, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Cathedral Precinct, Necropolis & Dennistoun: 瑞丽江的河水, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Glasgow Green & the East End: dun_deagh, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Partick & Hyndland: James Petts, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Shawlands & Langside: Richard Sutcliffe, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
Photos from Wikimedia Commons, used under the licences shown. All photo credits
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