Royal Exchange Square is a public square in the City of Glasgow

Glasgow

Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...

 in Scotland

Scotland

Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...

. The square is situated at the junction of Queen Street with Ingram Street. It is also easily accessible from Buchanan Street

Buchanan Street

Buchanan Street is one of the main shopping thoroughfares in Glasgow, the largest city in Scotland. It forms the central stretch of Glasgow's famous shopping district with a generally more upmarket range of shops than the neighbouring streets: Argyle Street, and Sauchiehall Street.-History:...

, through two prominent archways on the West side of the square.The square is a landmark that attracts many visitors due to the central building which houses the Glasgow Gallery of Modern Art, (also known as the 'GoMA') and the humorous Duke of Wellington

Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington

Field Marshal Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, KG, GCB, GCH, PC, FRS , was an Irish-born British soldier and statesman, and one of the leading military and political figures of the 19th century...

 statue.

Along the sides of the square are lots of open air cafés and restaurants. The Square is lit up with a large overhead net of lighting between the Gallery of Modern Art and surrounding buildings. The lighting was originally only activated around the Winter season as part of the city's Christmas decorations, but due to being highly favoured by the citizens of Glasgow it remains, to this day, as a permanent feature.

At the Queen Street entrance there is a statue of Duke of Wellington

Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington

Field Marshal Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, KG, GCB, GCH, PC, FRS , was an Irish-born British soldier and statesman, and one of the leading military and political figures of the 19th century...

which usually has a traffic cone placed on his head. This was originally a joke by youngsters, but it is now encouraged by the public to leave the cone intact. The statue has become a representation of simple Glaswegian humour and is favoured by many citizens and tourists who have seen it. However, some tourists have conveyed disappointment upon visiting the statue to discover that the cone has been taken down.

Future plans

The building (formerly Borders) that sits adjacent to the GoMA is currently under development and refurbishment to accommodate a new retail unit. Rumours from March insinuated that All Saints and Abercrombie & Fitch had looked into a lease for the building - dividing it into two retail units. The window covers have been unveiled to reveal suspended rows of vintage sewing machines, white painted exposed brickwork and reclaimed furniture. These interior details have been found in previous All Saints branches, and are very fitting with the brand. The Ingram Street and Mitchell Lane branches have now closed and are likely to move into the building on Tuesday 11 May 2010.