St. Lawrence Hall facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St. Lawrence Hall |
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St. Lawrence Hall on King Street
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| Location | Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
| Built | 1850–1851 |
| Current use | meeting hall |
| Architect | William Thomas |
| Architectural style(s) | Renaissance Revival |
| Owner | City of Toronto |
| Designated | 1967 |
St. Lawrence Hall is a famous building in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It's located where King Street East and Jarvis Street meet. This grand hall was built to be a main spot for public meetings, concerts, and art shows in Toronto. It even had a huge theatre that could hold a thousand people! For many years, St. Lawrence Hall was the heart of Toronto's social life. Even today, it's still used for special events like weddings, conferences, and art exhibits.
History of St. Lawrence Hall
Before St. Lawrence Hall was built, this area was part of a market square. It was even the site of Toronto's first market buildings. In 1849, a huge fire, known as the Great Fire of Toronto, damaged many buildings. This led to the building of the current St. Lawrence Market nearby. The empty spot at King and Jarvis Streets was perfect for a new public building.
The new St. Lawrence Hall was designed by William Thomas. He used a style called Renaissance Revival, which looked back to old European designs.
Many important people spoke at St. Lawrence Hall. Famous politicians like John A. Macdonald and George Brown gave speeches here. These men were important "Fathers of Confederation" who helped create Canada. The hall was also the main place for musicians and performers to entertain the city. The lower parts of the building had shops and businesses, connected to the market. There was even a special meeting place called St. Patrick Hall on the third floor.
As Toronto grew, bigger and newer places opened for performances. St. Lawrence Hall became less popular over time. However, it still served many purposes. For a few years, it was even home to the National Ballet of Canada.
In 1967, the City of Toronto government completely fixed up the hall. This was done to celebrate the 100th birthday of Canada, known as the Centennial of Confederation. That same year, it was named a National Historic Site. The first two Juno Awards ceremonies, which celebrate Canadian music, were held here in 1970 and 1971.
St. Lawrence Hall is an important historic site. It is protected to make sure it stays safe for future generations.
Architect and Design of the Hall
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The architect who designed St. Lawrence Hall was William Thomas. He was born around 1799 and passed away in 1860. Thomas was an architect from both England and Canada. He moved to Toronto in 1837 with his wife and ten children. After coming to Toronto, he became a successful city engineer and architect. St. Lawrence Hall is one of his most famous works.
Thomas's design for the hall was inspired by 16th-century Italian Renaissance architecture. You can see this in the main front of the building. It has a triangular top part called a pediment, and four tall, decorated columns called Corinthian columns. Underneath these are three arches. This style is very similar to the work of an Italian architect named Andrea Palladio. The way the building parts are balanced and match on both sides is also a key feature of Renaissance design.
While St. Lawrence Hall uses the Renaissance Revival style, Thomas also made it fit the local area. For example, it has a special roof called a French mansard roof. This type of roof is good for places like Ontario that get a lot of snow. There's also a decorative tower on top of the main hall, called a cupola.
