The interior of Princes Square, showing four of the five trading levels, photographed in 2003. The trefoil steel columns which help support the clear glass roof are said to be inspired by the fluted columns of Beverly Minster.
The original buildings consisted of a four-storey merchant square completed in 1841. The owner, and then Lord Provost of Glasgow, James Campbell named his new building Princes Square in celebration of the birth of the Prince of Wales, later to become King Edward VII.
In 1987 the court was completely refurbished. The original walls formed the sides of the square with the eastern wall remodelled to form a palladian screen. The original cellars were excavated to provide additional shopping areas, and the atrium covered by a glass dome roof. The Art Nouveau style provides a reminder of Glasgow's hey-day in the early 20th century.
The specialist and designer clothes shops to be found in Princes Square have contributed considerably to Glasgow's reputation as an attractive shopping destination. Fashionable bars and restaurants have made it a popular meeting place.
Reference: Illustrations vol 48, p 8
Reproduced with the permission of Glasgow City Council, Libraries Information and Learning
Keywords:
art nouveau, bars, Beverley Minster, food courts, glass roofs, Princes Square, restaurants, shopping centres, shops, steel columns