Tait Tower facts for kids
The Tait Tower was a very tall building in the Art Deco style. It was also known as Tait's Tower or officially as the Tower of Empire. This amazing tower was built on top of Ibrox Hill in Bellahouston Park in Glasgow, Scotland. It was a main part of a big event called the Empire Exhibition, Scotland 1938.
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What Was the Tait Tower?
The Tait Tower was designed by a person named Thomas S. Tait. It stood about 300 feet (91 meters) tall. That's like a 30-story building! The tower had three different places where people could go up and look out. From these spots, visitors could see the beautiful gardens around the tower and the whole city of Glasgow. Because the tower was so tall and built on a hill, you could see it from as far as 100 miles (160 kilometers away).
Why Was the Tower Important?
The Tait Tower was the most important building at the Empire Exhibition. It was so famous that its picture was on many souvenirs. People could buy things like postcards and little models of the tower to remember their visit.
How Was the Tower Built?
The Empire Exhibition happened when Glasgow was a very important city for building ships and making machines. The materials used for the tower, like strong steel beams and corrugated steel, came from factories right there in Glasgow.
Quick Construction
Thomas Tait's design was clever, and the materials were easy to get. This meant the tower could be built very quickly. It only took nine weeks to put the whole tower together! This was a huge achievement for its time.
What Happened to the Tower?
The Empire Exhibition ended, and the Tait Tower was taken down in July 1939. Even though the tower is gone, its foundations (the parts underground that supported it) are still there in Bellahouston Park today.
Who Else Helped?
Thomas Tait's son, Gordon Tait, also worked on building this impressive tower.
Remembering the Tait Tower
In December 2007, the Tait Tower was brought back to life in a special way. Experts at the Digital Design Studio at Glasgow School of Art made a 3D computer model of the entire Empire Exhibition. They used old photos, videos, sketches, and drawings from the Mitchell Library to make it look just like it did in 1938. This helps us imagine what the tower and the exhibition were like.
Images for kids
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Empire Exhibition from the air, with the Tait Tower visible
