Gibson Hall, London facts for kids
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The Gibson Hall is a very old and important building in the City of London, located at 13 Bishopsgate. It's so special that it's called a Grade I listed building, which means it's one of the most important historic buildings in England. The building gets its name from its architect, John Gibson.
It was built from Portland stone, a famous type of white stone. The style is classical, meaning it looks like ancient Greek or Roman buildings. It has fancy Corinthian columns that are attached to the walls. The building was finished in 1865. It was originally built to be the main office for a bank called the National Provincial Bank of England.
History of Gibson Hall
The Gibson Hall first opened its doors in 1866. When it first opened, the building had four arched sections and seven figures on its roof. Later, in 1878, the building was made bigger. Two more sections were added, and new figures representing "Shipbuilding" and "Mining" were placed on the roof. The figure for "London" was moved to stay at the corner of the newly extended building.
The building was listed as a historic site in 1950. This was because of its special design and its importance to history.
What the Building Looks Like
The outside of the building has eight special panels. These panels show pictures that tell stories about human achievements. They represent things like:
- The Arts (like painting and music)
- Commerce (buying and selling)
- Science
- Manufactures (making things)
- Agriculture (farming)
- Navigation (sailing ships)
- Shipbuilding (building ships)
- Mining (digging for minerals)
Along the top of the roof, there are figures of people. These figures represent important cities where the bank did business. Some of these cities include Manchester, Birmingham, Dover, Newcastle, and London.
Later Uses of the Hall
In 1967, the National Provincial Bank moved its main office to a different location. The Gibson Hall continued to be used as a banking hall until 1982. After that, it was carefully fixed up and changed into a large meeting room for the National Westminster Bank.
From 1998, the building was used as a place where people could hold events. You could rent it for parties, meetings, or other gatherings. However, the Gibson Hall is currently closed. It is no longer available to rent for events.
