A symbol of stately history. That’s what the Great Hall of the University of Sydney represents. This hall is a prime example of Victorian Academic Gothic revival architecture. Completed in July 1859 the Great Hall soon became a tourist attraction.
Anthony Trollope wrote in 1874 that the Hall was the finest chamber in the colonies. He believed no college of Oxford or Cambridge possessed a hall with such good proportions. The Great Hall is one of the principal structures of the University of Sydney.
The Great Hall is located in the Main Quadrangle on the Camperdown campus. It serves as a public interior. Formal ceremonies, conferences, recitals, and dinners occur here. The Great Hall, Main Quadrangle, and East Range are heritage-listed. They are described as probably the most significant group of Gothic Revival Buildings in Australia.
Sir Edmund Thomas Blacket designed the Great Hall. He was the Colonial Architect of New South Wales. Blacket resigned in 1855 to design the university buildings. He supervised their development and construction until 1862. Blacket also designed St. Paul’s College. He altered the original construction of St. Andrew’s Cathedral.
On 18 July 1859 degrees were first conferred upon graduates in the Hall. During 1881 to 1882 a Forster & Andrews pipe organ was installed. This organ was later replaced in 1972. The new organ was manufactured by Rudolf von Beckerath of Hamburg, Germany. Ronald Sharp assisted with the installation.
The organ has three manuals and pedals. It features a mechanical key and electric stop action. It has 54 stops, 79 ranks, and 4005 pipes. The cedar case was constructed in the university’s Joinery Shop. It blends with the architecture of the Great Hall.
Looking towards the organ the three manual and pedal console can be seen on the left. Above it are large principal pipes from the Great division. The Swell division is above the Great. It is the expressive section enclosed in a wooden box. The Ruckpositiv division is in the center of the gallery. The Pedal division is on the right side.
The Great Hall is one of the finest examples of Victorian Gothic revival architecture in Australia. Its design reflects and complements the University Quadrangle. The sloped roof is built in hammerbeam style. It resembles that of Westminster Hall in London. The arched design is supported by six collar cedar beams. It is reminiscent of British interiors like Stirling Castle and Hampton Court.
Twelve carved wooden figures of angels are located among the beams. They hold items referencing the arts and sciences. Grammar holds a papyrus roll. Dialectic has Aristotle’s diagram. Poetry has a harp. Ethics has a St Mary’s lily. Metaphysics has a symbol of the Deity. Arithmetic has an abacus. Geometry has Euclid’s proposition. Astronomy has a star. Music has a lyre. Physics has an ancient air pump. An angel of knowledge originally sat atop the eastern gable but was removed in 1874.
The marble floor mirrors the dais in Westminster Hall. The armorial bearings and Oriel window frame are carved of Caen stone. The walls are constructed of Sydney sandstone.
The Great Hall hosts many University events. These include graduation ceremonies and musical productions. Plays, banquets, public lectures, and book launches also take place here. You might even see balls, exams, memorial services, fairs, and book sales.
Visiting the Great Hall is like stepping back in time. It’s a place where history and architecture blend seamlessly. The Great Hall stands as a testament to the University of Sydney’s rich heritage.