Sydney Town Hall

The Sydney Town Hall is a landmark sandstone building located in the heart of Sydney. It stands opposite the Queen Victoria Building and alongside St Andrew's Cathedral. Sitting above the busy Town Hall station and between the cinema strip on George Street and the Central Business District, the steps of the Town Hall are a popular meeting place.

Town Hall was built in the 1880s from local Sydney sandstone in the grand Victorian architectural style, and remains the only non-religious city building from the era to retain its original function and interior. The building houses the Sydney City Council Chamber, reception rooms, the Centennial Hall and offices for the Lord Mayor and elected councillors. The Centennial Hall (main hall) contains the world's largest entirely mechanical pipe organ, built from 1886 to 1889 and istalled in 1890 by the English firm of William Hill & Son, which possesses one of only two full-length 64′ organ stops in the world (the Contra-Trombone in the pedal). Before the opening of the Concert Hall, Sydney Opera House, the Town Hall was Sydney's concert hall.

The Town Hall steps are a popular meeting place. Town Hall management has recently deployed anti-social measures, such as stopping people from congregating on the Town Hall Steps during the day time, and the presence of security guards on the Town Hall steps at night. The alleged reason for the deployment of additional security outside Town Hall is said to be increased incidents of assaults and graffiti.

In the later years, it has been discovered that Town Hall lies on top of part of an ancient burial complex. Currently renovations have been put to a stop, as the government is still deciding whether or not to continue or make it an heritage listing. [ [http://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au City of Sydney] , " [http://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/AboutSydney/HistoryAndArchives/OldSydneyBurialGround.asp Old Sydney Burial Ground - City of Sydney] ", February, 2008.]

References

External links

* [http://www.heritage.nsw.gov.au/07_subnav_02_2.cfm?itemid=%095051902 Town Hall heritage listing]
* [http://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/history/foundations/ A history of Sydney Town Hall]