Manchester Town Hall

Had anyone ever told them that Manchester Town Hall was designed to look like a Flemish cloth hall? Probably not. Manchester Town Hall. An imposing Victorian Gothic masterpiece. It stands proudly in Albert Square, a testament to Manchester’s rich history and civic pride. The Town Hall’s history begins in the 19th century. Manchester’s booming textile industry outgrew its old town hall in King Street. They needed a grander space. A competition was launched, and architect Alfred Waterhouse emerged victorious, beating over 130 other designs. Construction began in 1868 and took nine years to complete, using 14 million bricks. The final cost was somewhere between £775,000 and £1 million, a hefty sum in those days. Waterhouse’s design brilliantly blended the practical with the ceremonial. The building housed offices, grand rooms like the Great Hall, and even living quarters for the Lord Mayor. Queen Victoria’s refusal to attend the opening ceremony added a touch of drama. The reason? The then-mayor, Abel Heywood, had a radical past, including imprisonment for opposing newspaper taxes. The Town Hall was finally opened in 1877 by Heywood himself. The clock tower dominates the Manchester skyline, standing at 280 feet tall. It houses “Great Abel”, the massive clock bell named after Heywood. This bell weighs over eight tons and its chimes echo across the city. Inside, the Great Hall is a breathtaking spectacle. Ford Madox Brown’s Manchester Murals adorn the walls. These stunning paintings depict scenes from the city’s history. The Sculpture Hall, located on the ground floor, is equally impressive, filled with statues and busts of prominent Mancunians. Even today, Manchester Town Hall continues to serve the city. It hosts weddings, conferences and other important events. Its grandeur has also caught the eye of filmmakers. It has often stood in for the Palace of Westminster in various films and television shows.