Charles Rennie Mackintosh was born in Glasgow in 1868, and even as a young man his talent as a designer was quickly recognised as he attended the Glasgow School of Art and bagged an architectural apprenticeship.
Visit Scotland reports that “Mackintosh believed an architect was responsible for every detail of the design of their buildings, and his interiors reflect this.”
His works have an Art Nouveau style and include iconic style choices like high-backed chairs, rose motifs and a distinctly Mackintosh-style typeface. The font is so iconic that it has featured in other popular franchises like American Horror Story which used it for their logo.
To celebrate the legacy of the Scottish architect, here are 13 of his attractions from his hometown of Glasgow.
1. The Mackintosh Mural
The mural was made by Rogue One, a local street artist, in collaboration with Art Pistol Projects. It depicts Mackintosh in a monochromatic style looking through a stained glass window with the architect’s iconic Glasgow Rose motif. It overlooks Glasgow’s Clutha Bar and marked the 150th anniversary of Mackintosh’s birth in 2018. Photo: Submitted
2. Mackintosh At The Willow
First opened by Miss Cranston and designed by Mackintosh in 1903, the original Willow Tea Rooms building can be found at 215-217 Sauchiehall Street in Glasgow. The name ‘Willow’ refers to the street name as ‘Saugh’ (from Sauchiehall) is Gaelic for ‘Willow Tree’. Photo: dalbera on Flickr
3. The Hill House
Often thought of as Mackintosh’s most iconic home design, construction of the sandstone house began in 1902 and was later restored by the National Trust for Scotland to resemble its original finalised design of 1904. Photo: ilustracionysigloxixugr on Flickr
4. Queen’s Cross Church
The Queen’s Cross Church is the only church in existence to be designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh. It was commissioned in 1896 by the Free Church and the building opened up for worship in 1899. Photo: via WikiCommons