George Square is Glasgow's main civic square, surrounded by grand Victorian buildings — the City Chambers on the east side is one of the most extravagant examples of Victorian municipal architecture in Britain, its interior marble staircases and painted ceilings open for free guided tours on weekdays. The square is ringed with statues of Scottish worthies: James Watt, Robert Burns, Walter Scott (on the central column), and various others who have shaped the city's self-image.
The square functions as both gathering point and transit hub. It is busiest at Christmas, when the market fills it, and on New Year's Eve, but it rewards a visit at any time simply for the City Chambers facade and the pleasure of being at the geographic and symbolic heart of the city.