74-76 Hopehill Road, St Columba's Roman Catholic Church, Category A listed Catholic church in Glasgow, Scotland
St Columba's Roman Catholic Church sits at 74-76 Hopehill Road with a distinctive central entrance tower and a steep mansard roof covered in tiles. The building combines Romanesque Revival design elements with modern construction techniques, featuring concrete frames and extensive glazing.
The architectural firm Gillespie, Kidd & Coia designed this church in 1941, blending Romanesque Revival elements with contemporary building methods. The structure emerged during a period when traditional and modern architectural languages came together.
The church houses artwork by sculptor Benno Schotz, including a marble altar screen and carved crucifix that draw visitors' attention. Painted Stations of the Cross from the Empire Exhibition decorate the interior and reflect the artistic heritage of this Catholic community space.
The church sits accessible from Hopehill Road and hosts regular Catholic services for worshippers. A presbytery building with clergy quarters connects from the main entrance, making the site a complete religious facility.
The building showcases a remarkable adaptation to Glasgow's wet climate through its concrete frames and extensive glass, translating Italian Romanesque architecture into a Scottish setting. This hybrid approach was innovative for the 1940s and demonstrates how traditional religious architecture was modernized for local conditions.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
