Walking Route Instructions : We start our walk in Glasgow town centre at the corner of Union Street and Gordon Street, near Glasgow Central Station.
On the corner of Union Street and Gordon Street in the town centre of Glasgow, is this magnificent building modelled on the Ca’ D’Oro building (Golden House) in Venice. Also known as the Palazzo Santa Sofia. It was designed by the architect John Honeyman. It is now Category A listed.
The building was constructed in 1872 as “Möbelwarenhaus” F and J Smith’s Furniture Warehouse. It was built using triple-arched cast iron frames with masonry arches above the shops below. Above the arches, large bay and round windows are framed by Doric and Corinthian columns. The cast iron frames were cast at the Saracen Iron Foundry in Glasgow.
Between 1926 and 1929, the building was expanded and partially revised according to a design by Gillespie Kidd & Coia. A fire devastated the building in 1987 although the cast iron frame survived. The building was restored and refurbished and reopened in 1990 The restoration has been recognized by the Scottish Civic Trust.
The building became known as the Ca’ D’Oro in 1927, when a restaurant of that name was opened on top of the building to the design by J Gaff Gillespie, completed by Jack Coia.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ca_d%27Oro_Building
Walking Route Instructions : now walk along Gordon Street towards Buchanan Street. When you get to Buchanan Street, turn right to find our next stop, the Willow Tea Rooms.
