Sydney Town Hall
This monumental organ is (in my opinion) one of the grandest and greatest in the world today, boasting speaking stops with wind pressures ranging from 3 1/4″ up to 10″ for the Tuba Chorus. Its immense case looms 64′ wide and 32′ in height crowned with the low octave of the Pedal Open Diapason 32′. This was in 1888 the largest organ in the world - obviously this is not true any more, but no other organ in the world can boast as “MY” Sydney Organ. The Town Hall has been a prominent meeting point for the living since its construction in 1869 but before then, it was a resting place for the dead. A First Fleet cemetery operated there between 1792 and 1820, but Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore says it was supposed to be moved west to make way for the fast growing city.
The Sydney Town Hall is a landmark sandstone building located in the heart of Sydney. It stands opposite the Queen Victoria Building and alongside St Andrew’s Cathedral. Sitting above the busy Town Hall station and between the cinema strip on George Street and the Central Business District, the steps of the Town Hall are a popular meeting place.
History
The foundation stone of the first section of the Town Hall was laid on 4 April 1868 by Prince Albert, Duke of Edinburgh and comprised the current vestibule (the original Town Hall) and civic offices. Designed by architects Wilson, Bell & Bond, this was completed in 1869. In 1879 the City Architect Thomas Saps ford prepared plans for the completion of the building, including the Centennial Hall, all of which was opened on 27 November 1889. The clock tower had earlier been completed in 1881 and the clock and chimes installed in 1884-1885. Built in sandstone in an Italian Renaissance style, the building incorporates a wealth of carved detail, mosaic pavements, elaborate plasterwork, stenciling, joinery, and etched and stained glass. The whole complex has, in recent years, been carefully restored under the direction of heritage architect Howard Tanner, and the building was re-opened on 20 February 1992 by Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II.
The Town Hall Collection
Encompassing more than 2,000 items that have been acquired by gift, purchase and bequest, the Sydney Town Hall Collection is a rich and varied resource of historical and cultural significance to the City of Sydney. Many of the items in the Collection decorate the public spaces of Sydney Town Hall and are available for public inspection. Regular changing exhibitions of items from the Collection increase public access to those items that cannot always be displayed, and provide an opportunity to celebrate significant events and anniversaries.
The Grand Organ
During the 19th century in England, it was customary for civic halls in England and the colonies to be provided with grand organs, imposing symbols of a city’s pride and its aspirations. It is therefore not surprising that plans for Sydney Town Hall included an organ of very grand dimensions. The original plans for the organ were drawn up in 1879 under the direction of Messrs. William Hill and Son of London. Their design provided for an instrument of fifty nine speaking stops, at a cost of £5,000 but was considered too modest for the city.
Sydney Town Hall symbolically reflects the city’s origins as Australia’s oldest settlement. While the building was constructed in two stages between 1866-75 and 1883-88, the latter, with its Second Empire architecture and ornate clock tower, is more visually significant. Guided tours of the site depart from the Town Hall steps. These require a minimum of 15 participants per tour. Highlights include the Vestibule, the Centennial Hall, the North and South Staircases, the Council Chambers and the Lady Mayoress’ Room, together with the Town Hall’s extensive collection of paintings and silverware.
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