Holiday deals in London-Royal Albert Hall London

The red brick Royal Albert Hall was built in the 19th century, as a multifunctional music and entertainment hall. Today, it is one of London's most recognisable landmarks and a top European performing arts venue.

History

Built in honour and memory of Prince Albert, the husband of Queen Victoria and the official Prince Consort, Royal Albert Hall was a tribute to the prince's affinity for the arts and his desire to establish a permanent venue in the city, for the public to enjoy a variety of concerts, dance, and theatrical performances. The venue would be part of the so-called Albertopolis, which was to become a centre for the arts and science. 

After the prince's death in 1861, Queen Victoria hired Captain Francis Fowke and Major-General H.Y. Darracott Scott of the Royal Engineers, to design this proposed building, which was dubbed Great Hall. It is said that the two men were greatly influenced in their design by the ancient amphitheaters of Rome and Greece, as well as by Gottfried Semper’s Opera House in Dresden.

The Building

The circular hall was constructed of red brick with terra cotta ornamentation. In contrast, however, the dome at the top of the building, designed by Rowland Mason Ordish, was fashioned from steel. Records show that the dome was first constructed in the city of Manchester, just to ensure that it fitted together properly; then disassembled and brought to London.

Opening

In March 1871, the hall was officially opened with a speech by Edward, the Prince of Wales, who stood in for the often stoic Victoria, who was too overcome with emotion to speak at the event. A concert followed the ceremony and, to everyone's surprise, it was immediately noticed that the hall had serious acoustic problems, including echoes that made it seem as if each note was being heard twice. The problem was finally cured completely in 1969, nearly a century after the opening of Royal Albert Hall.

Renovations

A series of renovations were completed from 1996 to 2004, offering the hall a state-of-the-art character; and adding enhancement to the acoustics. The grand pipe organ was also rebuilt, now making it the largest in the British Isles, with nearly 10,000 pipes.

Performances

Royal Albert Hall hosts one of the world's largest festivals of Western classical music, called the Proms. The hall has also played host to a number of well-known pop artists throughout the last several decades, including The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and others. But the Royal Albert Hall isn't just a music venue; for, over the years, it has been used for events such as ice skating, tennis and even sumo wrestling.

Are you considering visiting London and the U.K.? Then contact the London official visitor agency-Visit London and Partners at: 08701 566 366  visitorinfo@londonandpartners.com     

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