Montpellier Rotunda facts for kids
The Montpellier Rotunda is a beautiful and historic building in Cheltenham, England. It's a special place that has been used for many things over the years, from a spa to a concert hall. It's so important that it's a Grade I listed building, which means it's protected because of its amazing history and design.
Contents
History of the Rotunda
Building the Spa
In 1809, a man named Henry Thompson started building the "Montpellier Spa." He first put up a wooden building with columns. This was on land that used to be called Trafalgar Field.
From Wood to Stone
The spa quickly became very popular. Because so many people wanted to visit, the wooden building was rebuilt in strong stone by 1817. Thompson hired an architect named George Allen Underwood to design the new stone building. Underwood even added a cool statue of a crouching lion on the roof!
Adding the Famous Dome
In 1826, Henry Thompson's son, Pearson Thompson, took over the project. He asked another architect, John Buonarotti Papworth, to help. Papworth was the one who added the amazing dome you see today. This dome was inspired by the Pantheon in Rome, an ancient Roman temple, and looks very similar in size and shape.
What the Building Was Used For
The Rotunda was a busy place!
- It had a pumproom where people could drink water from local wells.
- There was a big ballroom for dancing and parties.
- It also had a billiard room for games and a reading room for quiet time.
Famous Visitors and Events
Many important events happened here.
- In 1848, a famous singer named Jenny Lind performed a concert.
- In 1891, the first performance of a piece called Scherzo by the famous composer Gustav Holst took place here.
New Owners and Restoration
In 1893, the Cheltenham Borough Council bought the spa and its gardens. The Rotunda was officially named a Grade I listed building in 1955, showing how important it is. In the 1960s, the council and Lloyds Bank worked together to fix up the building. Since 2017, the Rotunda has been home to a restaurant from the Ivy Collection, which also did some restoration work to keep it looking great.
Architecture of the Rotunda
The Montpellier Rotunda is built with strong limestone walls. Its beautiful dome roof is made of copper. The front of the building has a row of Doric columns, which are a classic style of Greek columns. Above the columns, there's a decorative band called a frieze with square and rectangular shapes.
Inside, the main assembly room is very impressive. The wooden dome ceiling has a special pattern called coffering, which means it has sunken panels. Light comes into the room from a lantern at the very top of the dome. This large room is about 56 feet (17 m) high and 54 feet (16 m) across.
Images for kids
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The Rotunda building when it housed a branch of Lloyds Bank
