Largely unappreciated outside of Glasgow during his lifetime, Alexander 'Greek' Thomson (1817-1875) architecture is now widely lauded far beyond these shores.
Thomson, a son of Balfron, Stirlingshire, moved to Glasgow in his youth and would go on to become one of Scotland's greatest architects of the 19th century.
Noted for designing a wide array of different buildings, including churches, private villas, warehouses and tenements, Thomson was dubbed the 'Greek' on account of the Greek motifs and Ancient Athenian influence that typified much of his work.
And while not all of the celebrated architect's finest buildings - such as the Queen's Park United Presbyterian Church, which was destroyed in the Second World War - have managed to withstand the test of time, there are still plenty of 'Greek' beauties dotted around the city to feast your eyes upon.
St Vincent Street Church
Built from 1857 to 1859, the majestic-looking St Vincent Church is easily one of the best buildings to be found in central Glasgow.
A Category A listed structure, the Alexander Thomson gem was falling to bits and under threat in the 1990s, but was thankfully restored with support from American Express.
Egyptian Halls
A Union Street landmark, the A-listed Egyptian Halls (1870-72) is among Thomson's more grandiose efforts, but is sadly a shadow of its former self. A lack of funds saw the building come within a whisker of being demolished in 2011, but, thankfully, a restoration plan has since been agreed and we should see the Egyptian Halls back to its best soon.
The Grecian Chambers
Situated at 336-356 Sauchiehall Street, the Grecian Chambers were completed in 1865 as one of Thomson's best examples of commercial architecture. A major fire in 1902 saw the roof rebuilt, but thankfully the rest of the structure survived relatively unscathed. The building now houses the Centre for Contemporary Arts.
Grosvenor Building
A magnificent structure, the Grosvenor Building on Gordon Street has had a tough old time of it.
The 'Greek' Thomson masterpiece burned down shortly after it was finished and rebuilt in 1864.
In 1901, a second fire ravaged the building and it was rebuilt once more. A third fire in 1967 again destroyed the interior and put an end to fine dining at the famous pile.
Following a major overhaul to transform the building into offices in 1992, only the façade now remains.
Holmwood House
Recently restored to its former glory, Holmwood House is regarded the finest villa Thomson ever built. Operated by the National Trust for Scotland, the stunning Cathcart house is open to the public and has retained many of its original interior elements.
Millbrae Crescent
Situated within a mile-and-a-half of Holmwood House, the beautiful Millbrae Crescent (1877) is one of Glasgow's top addresses. While it's not known for certain that the homes here were designed by Alexander Thomson - they may have been the work of his architectural partner, Robert Turnbull, after Thomson's death - the "Greek" signature is particularly evident here through the style of the frontages to the decorative chimney pots.
Walmer Crescent
One terrace that we know was definitely designed by the hand of Thomson is Walmer Crescent (1862). The charming Cessnock tenements were designated a conservation area in the 1970s. The Alexander 'Greek' Thomson Society is based at number 7, with Cessnock subway station (1896) located beneath the tenement.
Bucks Head Building
Straddling Argyle Street and Dunlop Street, the Bucks Head Building (1868) gets its name from the sculpture of a deer buck that adorns the top of the structure. The building was fully renovated in 2003.
Caledonia Road Free Church
If there's one building that's more associated with Alexander 'Greek' Thomson than any other it's the Caledonia Road Free Church (1857) at the junction of Caledonia Road and Cathcart Road.
The building, which bears more than a passing resemblance to Thomson's St Vincent Street Church, was purchased in 1963 by the Glasgow Corporation. Sadly, a fire in 1965 gutted out much of the building, leaving only the frontage standing. The former church remains on the Buildings at Risk Register for Scotland.
