Victoria Rooms (Bristol)

Infobox Historic building


caption=The Victoria Rooms now house the University's Department of Music.
name=Victoria Rooms
location_town=Bristol
location_country=England
map_type=Bristol
latitude=51.458
longitude=-2.6091
architect=Charles Dyer
client=
engineer=
construction_start_date=1839
completion_date=1841
date_demolished=
cost=
structural_system=
style=Greek revival
size=

The Victoria Rooms also known colloquially as the Vic Rooms [ [http://www.bris.ac.uk/music/facilities/vicrooms/ Bristol University - The Victoria Rooms ] ] is the name given to the building which now houses the University of Bristol's music department in Clifton, Bristol. Situated at the junction of Queen's Road and Whiteladies Road, the building was designed as assembly rooms by Charles Dyer who was noted for his Gothic Revival architecture and built between 1839 and 1841 in Greek revival style incorporating an eight-columned Corinthian portico. It houses a 745 seat auditorium, rehearsal rooms and a recording studio. [ [http://www.bristol.ac.uk/conferences/meetings/victoria/ Bristol University - Conference Office - Victoria Rooms ] ]

A statue of Edward VII, King of Great Britain and Ireland between 1901-1910 can be seen at the front of the Victoria Rooms.

History

The Victoria Rooms were opened in May 1842 and before being purchased by the University of Bristol the venue is known to have had Jenny Lind and Charles Dickens perform there. From 1873 the venue housed a large organ originally built for the Royal Panopticon of Arts and Science but this was destroyed by fire in 1934.

Purchased by the University in the 1920s, the building originally housed the students' union before a purpose-built union was constructed on nearby Queen's Road in the 1960s. It has been designated by English Heritage as a grade II* listed building, [cite web | title=Victoria Rooms and attached railings and gates | work=Images of England | url=http://www.imagesofengland.org.uk/search/details.aspx?id=380288 | accessdate=2007-03-23] as have the fountains, lamps, balustrades, railings and statues to the front of the building. [cite web | title=Fountains, lamps, balustrades, railings and statues to front of Victoria Rooms | work=Images of England | url=http://www.imagesofengland.org.uk/search/details.aspx?id=380289 | accessdate=2007-03-23]

References

Andrew Foyle, "Bristol", Pevsner Architectural Guides (2004) ISBN 978-0-300-10442-4

External links

* [http://www.bris.ac.uk/music/ Bristol University Music Department]