Brisbane City Hall facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Brisbane City Hall |
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Brisbane City Hall
(view from King George Square) |
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| General information | |
| Architectural style | Italian Renaissance |
| Location | King George Square, Brisbane |
| Address | Adelaide Street, Brisbane City, Queensland |
| Coordinates | 27°28′08″S 153°01′25″E / 27.46885°S 153.023602°E |
| Construction started | 29 July 1920 |
| Inaugurated | 8 April 1930 |
| Renovated | 6 April 2013 |
| Cost | A£1,000,000 |
| Owner | Brisbane City Co |
| Height | 91 m |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 3 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Thomas Ramsay Hall George Gray Prentice |
| Architecture firm | Hall & Prentice |
| Structural engineer | Russell John McWilliam Freney & Davidson |
| Other designers | Bruce Dellit, Peter Kaad, Emil Sodersten, Noel Wilson |
| Main contractor | Arthur Midson D.D. Carrick |
| Renovating team | |
| Architect | Megan Jones, Scott MacArthur (2010–2013) |
Brisbane City Hall is a very important building in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It is where the Brisbane City Council meets to make decisions for the city. You can find it next to King George Square, which is where its main entrance is. The building also has entrances on Ann Street and Adelaide Street. Many people think it is one of Brisbane's most beautiful buildings. It was added to the Register of the National Estate in 1978.
Over the years, Brisbane City Hall has hosted many special events. These include visits from royalty, big concerts, flower shows, school graduations, and important meetings. In 2008, engineers found that the building had some serious problems. After a big three-year repair project, it reopened on 6 April 2013.
Contents
Discovering Brisbane City Hall's Past
Brisbane City Hall was once the tallest building in Brisbane. It was designed by a company called Hall and Prentice. They worked with four young architects from New South Wales: Bruce Dellit, Peter Kaad, Emil Sodersten, and Noel Wilson.
Choosing the Perfect Spot
For many years, people debated where to build the new city hall. Finally, in 1914, Charles Moffatt Jenkinson, who was the mayor of Brisbane, helped make the final decision. He decided to build it at Albert Square, which is now known as King George Square.
Laying the Foundation Stones
The very first foundation stone was placed on 3 February 1917. This happened before the building even started! The Governor of Queensland, Major Sir Hamilton J. Goold-Adams, laid this stone. It was placed facing Albert Square. Inside this stone, there was a time capsule. This capsule was a metal cylinder that held:
- Copies of Brisbane's daily newspapers
- A copy of the city's official incorporation
- Minutes from the first City Council meeting
- Minutes from the meeting where they decided to lay this stone
- One of each coin used at that time
- A good wishes message from the Governor
However, this first stone was later found to be in the wrong place. It was removed and eventually lost.
The second and current foundation stone was laid on 29 July 1920. This important event was done by Edward, Prince of Wales, who later became King Edward VIII. He used a special gold and opal trowel for the ceremony.
The building site was quite wet and had a creek. Workers had to pump water out to keep the area dry. Construction started in 1920. Sadly, one worker died while checking the site.
Opening the Grand Building
Even though it wasn't fully finished, people started using the building on 3 January 1928. The Lord Mayor, William Jolly, made the first official payment there. He paid his electricity bill!
Brisbane City Hall was officially opened on 8 April 1930 by the Governor of Queensland, Sir John Goodwin. The Lord Mayor, William Jolly, also took part in the opening. By 1975, many of the Council's offices moved to a new building nearby. However, the Council Chambers and the Lord Mayor's offices are still inside City Hall.
The Grand Organ
The City Hall has a huge pipe organ with 4,391 pipes. It was built in 1891 in Liverpool, UK. It was moved to Brisbane City Hall in 1927. The first organ concert in City Hall was in 1929. In 2009, the organ was taken apart and stored during the building's restoration. It was put back together when the hall reopened.
Restoring City Hall: 1980s and 2010s
In the 1980s, work began to restore parts of the building. They opened up side entrances and made some rooms look like they did originally. These rooms are named after old local areas that became part of Brisbane.
More serious problems were found in 2009, like cracks in the concrete and old wiring. Brisbane City Hall closed on 31 December 2009 for a big three-year restoration project. This work included replacing all the electrical and plumbing systems. They also fixed the building's structure, the dome, and the auditorium. The outside of the building was also carefully cleaned and repaired. The Museum of Brisbane was moved to a single spot on the third floor.
Brisbane City Hall officially reopened to the public on 6 April 2013. The big renovation cost about $215 million.
How Brisbane City Hall Was Built
The building was designed in the Italian Renaissance style. This means it looks very balanced and formal. It has three main floors and a small basement. The total cost, including furniture, was about £980,000. Some statues that were planned were removed to save money.
The columns at the main entrance are very grand. Above the main entrance, there is a bronze cover, and the doors are also made of bronze.
The Famous Clock Tower
Brisbane City Hall has a 64 metres (210 ft) clock tower. It is 87.47 metres (287.0 ft) tall from the ground. Its design was inspired by the St Mark's Campanile in Venice, Italy. When it was built, the four clock faces were the biggest in Australia. Each clock face is 4.8 metres (16 ft) wide. The hour hands are 1.7 metres (5 ft 7 in) long, and the minute hands are 3.0 metres (9.8 ft) long.
The clock plays the Westminster Chimes every 15 minutes. You can hear them from the Queen Street Mall and sometimes even further away. The time is kept accurate by a special master clock from England. You can visit the observation platform at the top of the tower. It's free and you can get there by lift. For many years, it offered amazing views of Brisbane. Now, some taller buildings block parts of the view.
Inside the Auditorium
In the middle of City Hall is a large auditorium. It was inspired by the Pantheon in Rome. This circular hall can hold up to 1,600 people. It has the largest copper dome in the southern hemisphere. Underneath this dome, there are 8,500 LED lights that can create a light show.
When it was first built, the City Hall was meant to hold most of the Council's offices, a public library, and many reception rooms. As the city grew, some of these rooms were turned into offices.
Building Materials Used
The City Hall is built from concrete, brick, and steel. The base is made of Granite from Camp Mountain. The upper parts of the building are covered in Helidon Freestone, which is a type of sandstone. The clock tower also has a steel frame covered in the same sandstone. Inside, you can see beautiful marble columns and a marble staircase.
Art and Sculptures at City Hall
The Pediment Sculpture
Above the main entrance, there is a large carved sculpture called a pediment or tympanum. It was created by Brisbane sculptor Daphne Mayo. This sculpture shows the story of Queensland's settlement. In the middle, a female figure represents "progress" or "knowledge." Settlers with their animals move out from under her arms. They are claiming the land from the local Indigenous people and native animals, who are shown in the corners. On the right, a young European couple with a sheep, books, and an artist's palette represent the new European nation and its culture. The sculpture is 16.5 metres (54 ft) long and 3 metres (9.8 ft) tall in the middle. It was shown to the public eight months after the building officially opened.
King George V and the Lions
In front of City Hall, facing King George Square, you can see bronze lion sculptures and a statue of King George V. These were part of a memorial unveiled in 1938 to honor the King. The lions look like the famous bronze lions in Trafalgar Square, London. In 2007, they were moved for renovations to the Square. They were put back in the newly designed King George Square in 2009.
The Petrie Family Sculpture
There is also a bronze sculpture called the Petrie Tableau. It tells the story of the Petrie family, who were early pioneers in Brisbane. John Petrie was even Brisbane's first mayor!
King George Square: City Hall's Front Yard
Brisbane City Hall faces King George Square. This square is named after King George V. The area used to be smaller and was called Albert Square. In the late 1960s, the city bought and cleared buildings across from City Hall to make the square much larger. This change meant removing the original grand stone stairs in front of the building.
King George Square is a popular place for public gatherings, rallies, and protest marches. It has been redesigned as part of the Inner-Northern Busway project. The square also has an underground bus station, connecting it to other parts of the city.
What is City Hall Used for Today?
After the big renovations from 2010 to 2013, Brisbane City Hall is mostly used for public events. For many years, it was the main place for classical concerts and art shows in Brisbane. Besides the main auditorium, many reception rooms that were once offices have been restored to their original look. There's a large kitchen in the basement that helps cater for events.
The Museum of Brisbane is now in a special area on the rooftop of City Hall. The museum offers changing exhibitions. It also runs tours of the building and tours of the clock tower.
You can find two privately run cafes inside City Hall: the Red Cross Cafe and the Shingle Inn. The Shingle Inn cafe used to be on Edward Street. When that building was demolished, its famous interior was saved and rebuilt inside City Hall.
The only city administration offices still in City Hall are the Council Chambers and the offices for the Lord Mayor and Deputy Lord Mayor.
Awards and Recognition
In 2009, Brisbane City Hall was named one of the Q150 Icons of Queensland. This award recognized its importance as a "structure and engineering feat" during the Q150 celebrations.
