Kibble Palace Interior

This is the Kibble Palace in Glasgow (Botanic Gardens). Another handheld mobile phone image, which I imported into Photoshop to fine-tune and change into monochrome.

The Kibble Palace is a 19th-century wrought iron-framed glasshouse covering 2137 m2. Originally designed for John Kibble for his home at Coulport on Loch Long in the 1860s. Eventually brought up the River Clyde by barge to the Botanic Gardens, and it was erected at its current location in 1873.

The building structure is of curved wrought iron and glass supported by cast-iron beams resting on ornate columns surmounted by masonry foundations. It was initially used as an exhibition and concert venue before being used for growing plants in the 1880s. The leading plant group is the collection of New Zealand and Australian tree ferns, some of which have lived here for 120 years and now form the national tree fern collection.

In 2004 a £7 million restoration programme was initiated to repair the corrosion of the ironwork. The restoration involved the complete dismantling of the palace and the removal of the parts to Shepley Engineers in Shafton, South Yorkshire, for specialised repair and conservation. The plant collection was removed entirely for the first time, and the ironwork was rebuilt over a rearranged floorplan, giving the palace a prolonged life. It reopened to the public in November 2006.

2 Comments

  1. Wow. now that is a piece of Glasgow that has passed me bye, We just don’t create structures as intricate, delicate and dramatic these days despite sop called improved skills and equipment. Pic not bad either 🙂 🙂

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