Leeds Town Hall, Concert hall and municipal building in Leeds, England
Leeds Town Hall is a concert hall and municipal building in Leeds, England, with a large columned portico in the Corinthian style and a clock tower rising above surrounding city center structures. The Yorkshire sandstone facade runs along the Headrow and includes four floors plus a central hall space with open timber roof trusses for acoustic events.
Cuthbert Brodrick designed the town hall in 1853 and Queen Victoria officially opened it in 1858, when Leeds was rising as a major center for textile and engineering industries. The construction cost about 123,000 pounds and was funded through donations from wealthy factory owners and public funds.
The concert hall inside hosts the Leeds International Piano Competition and seats about 1,500 listeners beneath a high arched ceiling. The original Gray & Davison organ from 1859 has been expanded several times and now serves as a key instrument for choral performances and the city's music festivals.
Tours of the main hall and other public areas run on selected days, though events may limit access to different rooms. The main entrance is on the Headrow with stepped access, while modern lifts reach the upper floors for public events.
The clock tower contains a carillon of 23 bells that plays melodies automatically at certain times and can be heard from across the city center. The original Victoria Hall on the top floor once served as a public meeting room and still retains its Victorian wall paneling and wood carvings.
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