Page 107 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Scotland

GLASGOW  105

4 St Mungo decided to step in with money,
Museum of and with the idea for a more
Religious Life extensive project – a museum
and Art of religious life and art. The
site chosen was adjacent to
the cathedral, where the
2 Castle St. Tel (0141) 276 1625.
Open 10am–5pm Tue–Thu & Sat, 13th­century Castle of the
11am–5pm Fri & Sun. 7 8 by Bishops of Glasgow once
appointment. - = stood. The museum has the
∑ glasgowlife.org.uk/museums appearance of a centuries­old
fortified house, despite the fact
Glasgow has strong religious that it was completed in 1993.
roots, and the settlement that The top floor describes the
grew to become today’s city story of the country’s religion
started with a monastery from a non­denominational
founded in the 6th per spective. Both Glasgow’s medieval cathedral viewed from
century AD by a priest Protestant and the southwest
called Mungo. He died Catholic versions
in the early years of of Christianity are 5 Glasgow Cathedral
the 7th century, and represented, as well and Necropolis
his body lies buried as the other faiths of
underneath Glasgow modern Scotland. The Cathedral Sq. Cathedral: Tel (0141)
Cathedral. The build­ many, varied displays 552 6891. Open Apr–Sep: 9:30am–
ing itself dates from Detail from the touch on the lives of 5:30pm Mon–Sat, 1–5pm Sun;
Oct–Mar: 10am–4pm Mon–Sat,
the 12th century, and St Mungo Museum communities as 1–4pm Sun. 7 Necropolis:
stands on ground extensive as Glas­ Open 24hrs daily.
blessed by St Ninian as long gow’s Muslims, who have had ∑ glasgowcathedral.org.uk
ago as AD 397. The ever­ their own Mosque in the city
growing num bers of visitors since 1984, as well as local As one of the few churches to
to the cathedral eventually converts to the Baha’i faith. The escape destruction during the
prompted plans for an other floors are given over to Scottish Reformation (see p48)
interpretive centre. Despite the works of art – among them is by adapting itself to Protestant
efforts of the Society of Friends Craigie Aitchison’s Crucifixion VII, worship, this cathedral is a rare
of Glasgow Cathedral, however, which sits alongside religious example of an almost complete
sufficient funds could not be artifacts and artworks, such as original 13th­century church.
raised. The local auth ority burial discs from Neolithic It was built on the site of a
China (2,000 BC), chapel founded by the city’s
contempo rary paint­ patron saint, St Mungo, a 6th­
ings by Aboriginal century bishop of Strathclyde.
Australians, and some According to legend, Mungo
excellent Scottish placed the body of a holy man,
stained glass from the named Fergus, on a cart yoked
early part of the 20th to two wild bulls, telling them
century. Further dis­ to take it to the place ordained
plays in the museum by God. In the “dear green place”
examine issues of at which the bulls stopped, he
fundamental concern built his church.
to people of all religions Because of its sloping site, the
– war, persecution, cathedral is built on two levels.
death and the afterlife – The crypt contains the tomb of St
and from cultures as far Mungo, surrounded by an intricate
afield as West Africa and forest of col umns springing up to
Mexico. In the grounds end in delicately carved rib­
sur rounding the vaulting. The Blacader Aisle is
building, there is a reputed to have been built over
permanent Zen Garden, a cemetery blessed by St Ninian.
created by Yasutaro Behind the cathedral, a like ness
Tanaka. Such gardens of Protestant reformer John Knox
have been a traditional (see p48) surveys the city from his
aid to con templation in Doric pillar, overlooking a Victorian
Japanese Buddhist ceme tery. The necropolis is filled
temples since the with crumbling monuments to
An impressive stained-glass window at beginning of the the dead of Glasgow’s wealthy
the St Mungo Museum of Religious Life and Art 16th century. merchant families.

104-105_EW_Scotland.indd 105 10/23/17 11:55 AM