The nation's village hall - The Royal Albert
February 20th 2008 10:05
Sitting like a giant wedgewood urn opposite Hyde Park, on the Knightsbridge-Kensington border, the Royal Albert Hall was, until the end of the 20th century ushered in wonders like the Gherkin, one of London’s most arresting pieces of architecture. It is still one of the best known and most treasured.
After the Great Exhibition of 1851, Prince had proposed that a permanent facility - a "Great Hall", like the exhibition's Crystal Palace, be built to celebrate and promote the Arts and Sciences. When the Prince died in 1861, the project had still not begun. A new proposal was put forward for a complex including a memorial in Hyde Park with a Great Hall opposite. On May 20, 1867, the foundation stone for the Great Hall of Arts and Sciences was laid.
It was designed by Captain Francis Fowke and Colonel H.Y Darracott Scott of the Royal Engineers. Inspired by the shape of the ancient Roman and Greek amphitheatres, it was constructed in local brick, with a dome of glass and steel. A mosaic frieze around the outside of the building depicts sixteen subjects including “Various countries of the world bringing their offerings to the great exhibition of 1851” as well as the disciplines of arts and sciences. One foot high terracotta letters spell out a dedication to the Prince Consort, a recognition of his contribution to the building and quotations from the bible.
The hall opened on March 29, 1871, not as the Great Hall of Arts and Sciences but as the Royal Albert Hall and saw its first concert, Arthur Sullina’s Cantata, on May 1st of the same year. Since then the Royal Albert Hall, now often called the nation's village hall, has hosted innumerable ballets, operas, countless classical concerts, the annual summer Proms and many rock concerts including performances by Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Led Zeplin, The Beatles and the Rolling Stones (on the same programme!) and Pink Floyd (who were banned for life after firing two cannons during their performance); it has seen sporting events including the first Sumo wrestling contest held outside Japan, conferences and ballroom dancing.
Currently, the Royal Albert Hall is hosting its most unusual event to date – the circus. Come inside the Royal Albert Hall for the sensational Cirque du Soleil’s Varekai in Travelstripe’s next post.
The Royal Albert Hall
After the Great Exhibition of 1851, Prince had proposed that a permanent facility - a "Great Hall", like the exhibition's Crystal Palace, be built to celebrate and promote the Arts and Sciences. When the Prince died in 1861, the project had still not begun. A new proposal was put forward for a complex including a memorial in Hyde Park with a Great Hall opposite. On May 20, 1867, the foundation stone for the Great Hall of Arts and Sciences was laid.
It was designed by Captain Francis Fowke and Colonel H.Y Darracott Scott of the Royal Engineers. Inspired by the shape of the ancient Roman and Greek amphitheatres, it was constructed in local brick, with a dome of glass and steel. A mosaic frieze around the outside of the building depicts sixteen subjects including “Various countries of the world bringing their offerings to the great exhibition of 1851” as well as the disciplines of arts and sciences. One foot high terracotta letters spell out a dedication to the Prince Consort, a recognition of his contribution to the building and quotations from the bible.
The hall opened on March 29, 1871, not as the Great Hall of Arts and Sciences but as the Royal Albert Hall and saw its first concert, Arthur Sullina’s Cantata, on May 1st of the same year. Since then the Royal Albert Hall, now often called the nation's village hall, has hosted innumerable ballets, operas, countless classical concerts, the annual summer Proms and many rock concerts including performances by Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Led Zeplin, The Beatles and the Rolling Stones (on the same programme!) and Pink Floyd (who were banned for life after firing two cannons during their performance); it has seen sporting events including the first Sumo wrestling contest held outside Japan, conferences and ballroom dancing.
Currently, the Royal Albert Hall is hosting its most unusual event to date – the circus. Come inside the Royal Albert Hall for the sensational Cirque du Soleil’s Varekai in Travelstripe’s next post.
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