Located at the shores of the River Clyde Glasgow is the largest city of Scotland. Glasgow used to be an important place for trade and heavy industry. At the end of the 19th century it was producing more than 50 percent of Britain's tonnage of shipping. After many ups and downs Glasgow’s industry started to decline steeply by the end of the 50s of the last century. But Glasgow successfully managed to reinvent itself. By now it is a most attractive town of art, culture, tourism, finance and business services. The most prominent buildings at the Glasgow Cross are the Tolbooth Steeple and the Mercat Cross and Mercat Building. In a Scottish burgh the Tolbooth (town house) served as the main municipal building. The Mercat (market) Cross symbolized the right to hold a market or fair.