Supporting Statement
It is important that a City Centre has buildings which bring pleasure...
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It is important that a City Centre has buildings which bring pleasure to the resident community as well as attracting the interest of visitors. St Andrew's Cathedral fulfils this objective, and for almost two hundred years has been the spiritual home of Glasgow’s Roman Catholics. Its restoration, completed in April 2011, has enhanced its place as a building of outstanding beauty, offering a peaceful oasis of tranquillity and a meeting point for all who are drawn to the city from near and far. The renovations have brought such a transformation that all who visit are overawed and embraced by an ambience of light, colour and spaciousness.
The Cathedral is home to significant works of art by locally known artists and craftsmen such as Tim Pomeroy (baptismal font), Jack Sloan (sacristy doors), and of course the already famous Peter Howson painting of Saint John Ogilvie, Catholic martyr hanged at Glasgow Cross. Other artistic features link us to places abroad, such as the mosaics which were crafted in Bethlehem and the font and the altars made of Carrara marble from Italy.
The Cloister Garden emphasises the Cathedral’s role as a place for everyone, offering a pleasant space for relaxation. The central monument, while marking a particular tragedy from history, invites the visitor of today to reflect on words that offer inspiration and comfort to all. Moreover, the whole garden area offers a gathering space for hosting groups and social events, a function which will be further expanded when the building of the cloister is completed in a later phase. The visitor experience is enhanced by the peaceful sound of the water feature, by the informative plaques recording some of the Cathedral’s history, and by the rare feature, for Glasgow, of an olive tree from Tuscany.