The article presents the current state of knowledge, design guidelines and principles for shaping glass load-bearing walls, which are increasingly used as structural elements in modern pavilions and public buildings. The properties of glass as a structural material are analysed, including its bending and compressive strength as well as its behaviour in a post-breakage state. Particular attention is given to glass strengthening technologies – tempering and laminating, and their impact on user safety. The article discusses the principles of designing load-bearing systems, methods of panel support, and issues related to structural stability. An analysis of fifteen pavilions from around the world that utilize glass load-bearing walls is conducted, highlighting the diversity of geometric solutions, types of glass and methods for transferring loads from the roof and wind to the supporting structure. The article also describes the draft of Eurocode 10 for the design of glass structures, which introduces consequence classes and limit state scenarios (including post-breakage phase), allowing for a comprehensive approach to the safety of load-bearing glass walls.