Byres Road facts for kids
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| Former name(s) | Victoria Street |
|---|---|
| Part of | B808 |
| Type | Commercial/Transport |
| Maintained by | Glasgow City Council |
| Length | 1 km (0.62 mi) |
| Location | Glasgow |
| Postal code | G12 |
| Nearest Glasgow Subway station | Hillhead and Kelvinhall |
| Coordinates | 55°52′25″N 4°17′42″W / 55.87361°N 4.29500°W |
Byres Road is a busy street in Hillhead, Glasgow, Scotland. It is like the main road of the city's West End area.
Exploring Byres Road
Byres Road is a mix of shops, businesses, and homes. Many buildings are traditional sandstone tenements. These are large buildings with shops on the ground floor and apartments above. The area is very close to the University of Glasgow. This means many students live in the West End of Glasgow.
You can see cool murals by the famous Glasgow artist Alasdair Gray here. They are on buildings like the Ubiquitous Chip, the Oxfam Bookshop, and the Oran Mor bars.
History of Byres Road
Byres Road stretches from Great Western Road in the north to Dumbarton Road in the south. It starts near the Botanic Gardens and ends at Partick Cross. Long ago, this area was mostly countryside. It was known as the Byres of Partick.
The oldest pub in the area is the 17th-century Curler's. It used to be next to a pond where people played curling. Legend says that King Charles II gave it a special seven-day licence.
Before 1891, Hillhead and Partick were separate towns, called burghs. During that time, Byres Road was called Victoria Street. But when Hillhead joined Glasgow in 1891, there were four different Victoria Streets. To avoid confusion, Victoria Street in Hillhead was renamed Byres Road.
The town of Hillhead became a burgh in 1869. Its main offices, called the Burgh Chambers, were built on Victoria Street in 1873. Today, the Hillhead Library stands on that same spot.
Many small lanes and streets near Byres Road have also become popular. They offer different kinds of businesses, from tapas bars to second-hand record shops. The most famous of these is Ashton Lane. It has many bars, restaurants, and even a cinema.
Getting Around Byres Road
You can easily get to Byres Road using the Glasgow Subway. The northern part of the road is close to Hillhead station. The southern end is near Kelvinhall on Dumbarton Road.
