Victoria Hall (Cobourg) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Victoria Hall |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| General information | |
| Location | Cobourg, Ontario |
| Country | Canada |
| Coordinates | 43°57′34″N 78°10′04″W / 43.95936°N 78.16782°W |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Kivas Tully |
Victoria Hall is a very old and important building in Cobourg, Ontario, Canada. It was built in the 1800s. Today, it's the town's main office (Town Hall) and a place for many different events. When it was built, Cobourg was doing very well. People even thought it might become the capital city of Upper Canada! Victoria Hall first opened its doors in 1860. In 1959, it was named a national historic site. This means it's a very special building from the mid-19th century in Canada.
Contents
What Does Victoria Hall Look Like?
Victoria Hall is built in a style called Neoclassical. This means it looks a bit like ancient Greek and Roman buildings. It's covered with special stone from Cleveland. The building also has a tall clock tower. In the 1850s, there was a contest to pick the best design for the town hall. An architect named Kivas Tully won.
The front of the building has a grand entrance. It has tall columns and a roofed porch, like an old temple. There's also a balcony where speakers can stand. The building itself is shaped like the letter 'E'. It is also perfectly balanced on both sides, which is called symmetrical.
How Was Victoria Hall Saved?
In the early 1970s, Victoria Hall was in trouble. It was declared unsafe and had to be emptied. The building cost a lot more to build than expected. Because of this, it didn't get much care over the years.
But a group of caring citizens decided to save it! They formed a group called the Society for the Restoration of Victoria Hall. One important person was Lenah Field Fisher. She gave her money and property to help fix the building. The main entrance area, called the foyer, is named after her. Victoria Hall was officially reopened in 1983, looking brand new.
The Old Courtroom
The courtroom inside Victoria Hall looks like a famous courtroom in London, England, called the Old Bailey. This room was used as a real courtroom until 2008. It was one of the last "deep well" courtrooms still in use in Canada.
There's a special painting on the back wall of the courtroom. It's a trompe-l’oeil mural. This means it's painted to trick your eyes into thinking it's real, even though it's flat. The painting shows the Royal Coat of Arms. A German artist named Moser painted it when the building was new. It was carefully saved during the restoration.
The Amazing Concert Hall
The Grand Concert Hall is a big, open room. It also has hand-painted designs in the same trompe-l’oeil style as the courtroom. When the building was restored, they tried to copy the original patterns on the walls and ceilings.
This hall is designed to have great sound quality. This is called good acoustics. It's a perfect place for concerts, plays, and other events.
The James Cockburn Room
James Cockburn was a very important person from Cobourg. He is known as one of the "Fathers of Confederation." These were the people who helped create Canada as a country.
James Cockburn was a successful lawyer in Cobourg. He had an office right inside Victoria Hall. The room named after him shows what his office might have looked like in the 1860s or 1870s. You can even see his actual ledger, which was a book he used for his work. The furniture in this room was given by Lenah Field Fisher's family.
Victoria Hall on TV and in Movies
Victoria Hall is so beautiful that it has been used for filming many TV shows and movies! The show Murdoch Mysteries has filmed there many times. This show is set in the past, so Victoria Hall's old look is perfect. The movie Butterbox Babies also used Victoria Hall for filming.
