With over 635,000 inhabitants, Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland, ahead of Edinburgh, and the third largest city in the United Kingdom after London and Birmingham.

Around 80 AD, the Romans colonised the city, which was probably called Cathures at the time. The Romans later built the Antonine Wall around 140 AD to separate Roman Britain from Celtic and Pictish Caledonia. According to legend, Glasgow itself was founded by the Christian missionary St Mungo in the 6th century. He is said to have built a church on the site of today's cathedral. Construction of St Mungo's Cathedral began in the 12th century. In 1451, the University of Glasgow was founded by papal decree. By the beginning of the 16th century, Glasgow had become an important religious and academic centre.
The Argyll Arcade is one of Europe’s oldest covered shopping arcades and Scotland’s first ever indoor shopping mall. The L-shaped arcade was built in 1827 in the Parisian style. The arcade was cut through old tenements and provides a link between Argyle Street and Buchanan Street.

Widely regarded as the diamond jewellery centre of the North, the Argyll Arcade hosts more than 30 jewellers and diamond merchants all under one roof.