Possibly my favourite architect is Alexander "Greek" Thomson, who designed the building opposite.

Designing in the latter part of the 19th Century, he held absolutely in his conviction that architecture should follow classical traditions.

This building has echoes of the Parthenon, and is a stark reminder of the architectural heritage here in the midst of glass and steel skycrapers.

Unfortunately, as may be obvious, the building has fallen into a state of disrepair, and it is questionable whether it will ecver be allowed to return to it's former glory.

Campaigns are ongoing to try to convince the city to preserve it, but the costs are, sadly, prohibitive.

It should be a disgrace for our city to let it go, but... it wouldn't be the first time.

Another of his churches, in Caledonia Road was bombed during World War 2, and has never been rebuilt. It sits derelict, a damning indictment on our city, but in keeping with the sort of respect Thomson was given in his day.

Interestingly, his Church in McPhater Street was redeveloped recently, as the Scottish bagpipe museum, and has been a great success.

Cathedral Square was redeveloped recently to house the St Mungo museum or religion, and one of the benefits has been that the Cathedral itself was granted a more public profile. It is an archetypal gothic building, probably eminating from around the 1400s (he guesses).

Any visitors interested in seeing the building should go around lunchtime, as tours involve (at least they used to) a tour round the crypt. The necropolis behind contains, among others the grave of John Knox, the founder of Scottish Presbyterianism, and his tomb is marked by the large cenotaph visible in the photo.

Across the road from the Cathedral is the "Provand's Lordship", the oldest building in Glasgow.

The administrative headquarters of Glasgow. As with many buildings in Glasgow city centre, it dates back to the Victorian era. It is, obviously, classically roman in design, and is a deceptively enormous building internally.

It's unusual to get a pic of it, without people shouting obscenities at the front door.

I believe the white building in this pic is simply a block of private offices, and i have no idea who the architect was.

The reason why i included the pic is because the building sat for years, and no-one noticed it, but recently the stone was cleaned, the grime removed, and the results came as a shock. It's the only building (I know of) in Glasgow built in this stone, which, at a guess is limestone. Most buildings are red or blonde sandstone.

Just along the street from the building above is this building, again privately owned.

The building probably dates back to the 1860s or 1870s, and the thing that astonishes me about it, is how little wall there is in it. The huge amount of fenestration must've looked astonising to Victorian Glasgow, and it is probably contemporaneous to the Crystal Palace (1851) which shows how visionary the original architects must have been.

Incidentally, the building on the corner is almost archetypal city centre architecture.