Situated opposite Lime Street Station, St George’s Hall is one of the finest examples of neoclassical architecture in the world.
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00:01Rising majestically above St George's Plateau, just opposite Lime Street Station, stands a masterpiece of Victorian ambition, St George's Hall.
00:10Built in the mid-19th century, this building isn't just bricks and mortar, it's a storybook of Liverpool's past.
00:16Providing a striking welcome to all who visit the city, it's said to be inspired by the Parthenon and is one of the finest examples of new classical building.
00:23Opened in 1854, the Grade 1 listed landmark was originally designed as a concert venue and later combined with law courts.
00:31This building's seen it all from grand balls and political rallies to criminal trials and wartime speeches.
00:37In fact, Charles Dickens once read here to an audience calling it the most perfect hall in the world.
00:43The building is also home to one of Britain's most beautiful hidden gems, the Minton Mosaic floor, which contains over 30,000 tiles.
00:51It's only periodically on display to the public.
00:54The immaculately preserved surface depicts the city's coat of arms, sea nymphs, dolphins and tritons in what was the largest mint floor in the world when constructed.
01:03The original cost of creating this was £3,000, which is the equivalent of around a quarter of a million pounds a day,
01:10although the true cost of recreating it now would be in the millions.
01:14The Mosaic was covered in the 1860s to provide a more hard-wearing surface for dancing.
01:20The hall was ahead of its time, not just in architectural beauty, but also engineering.
01:25Its early air conditioning system was a trailblazer in public comfort and health.
01:29The specially designed ventilation and heating system was developed by Dr David Boswell-Reed,
01:34a Scottish physician and ventilation pioneer.
01:38For a 19th century building that hosted large crowds, concerts, court hearings and public events,
01:42controlling temperature and air quality was revolutionary.
01:45It made the space more comfortable and helped manage hygiene.
01:49Just a year after its opening, the Father Willis organ was inaugurated.
01:52This magnificent instrument, the largest organ in the world at the time of construction,
01:56now the third largest in the UK, is renowned to put its rich and powerful sound.
02:01To date, it's only undergone two major restorations.
02:04A key part of Liverpool's William Brown conservation area, since reopening in 2007 by King Charles,
02:11the hall has become a premier venue for weddings, events and performances.
02:16Over the years, this iconic building has played a supporting role in a number of major film and TV productions,
02:21too, from the gritty Peaky Blinders to the epic scale of the Batman and even featuring in a Coca-Cola advert in the 80s.
02:28More recently, in 2023, St George's Hall took centre stage once again, this time for music lovers.
02:34It was transformed into a massive party for the people as part of the Eurovision Song Contest.
02:40Throughout its history, St George's Hall has been a gathering place for significant city events,
02:45from royal visits to public protests, making it the emotional heart of the city.
02:50For Scousers, it's more than just a building.
02:51It's a landmark of identity, a place to gather, remember and celebrate.
02:55A timeless treasure still beating at the heart of a proud city.