Manchester Town Hall is located in Manchester, England. It is the home of Manchester’s administration and government. Before the current town hall was erected, the heads of the city used to take office and convened in the police station which was located in King Street. But Manchester soon outgrew her own governing office. The city was growing rapidly and ultimately became a center for the textile trade. This meant that the city was taking on tons of revenue and can now afford to house its government in a new location.
There were many suggestions as to how the Manchester Town Hall was to be constructed. The one that was chosen was shaped like an uneven triangle. A competition was held with regards to the design of the building and it was Waterhouse’s innovative and creative design that stood above the rest. The overall design of the Town Hall is that of “Victorian Gothic Revival”. It was created by the great and notorious Alfred Waterhouse during the later part of the 19th century. The infamous reputation of the architect was the reason why Queen Victoria did not attend the opening for the establishment.
Despite the Victorian design being very traditional and Gothic, the architect nonetheless has managed to incorporate a lot of 19th amenities into the design of the town hall, including a warm air pump that reached most rooms in the structure.
One of the most stunning features of the Manchester Town Hall is its entrance because it includes a dozen exterior statues that almost mimic Albert Square of which it overlooks. An interesting fact about the Manchester Town Hall is the fact that a Bumble Bee is seen in the mosaic design on the floor of the entry way. This insect is said to signify the once bustling textile center of Europe.
The work of arts found in the Manchester Town Hall not only lies in stone and tile. It also has a great collection of twelve very interesting murals that can be found in the Great Hall. The twelve include the following: “The Baptism of Edwin”, “The Expulsion of Danes from Manchester”, “The Trial of Wycliffe” considered to be the most impressive of the lot, John Kay, Inventor of the Fly Shuttle and more. The tower is also home to an 85 meter bell tower that rises above the entry way of the town hall. One interesting tidbit about the Manchester Town Hall is that it is often used as a “decoy” or “double” for Westminster Palace when it comes to movies and TV shows, because the latter restricts filming within its walls. For accommodation in Manchester please visit: Manchester Hotels.
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Good information. Thanks