Scotland is home to the oldest surviving music hall that was once a 'freak show'

Did you know that the world's oldest surviving music hall is located right here in Scotland?

While you will have no doubt heard of the many historic castles that dot Scotland's landscape, each with their own fascinating history dating back hundreds of years, you may be less familiar with the Britannia Panopticon Music Hall.

Situated in Glasgow's Trongate, the Britannia Music Hall (as it was previously known) was constructed in 1857 by city builder Archibald Blair. The building was designed by architects Thomas Gildard and Robert H. M. MacFarlane to look grand and classical with features such as cherubs and an Italianate-style facade.