The Royal Albert Hall is one of the most famuos buildigns in the world. Lots of diffreent thigns happen in the Royal Alebrt Hall (or just “RAH”): cocnerts for classiacl music or pop music, balelt, even tnenis or boixng mtaches, or large ceremnoies or parites or conferecnes. In the smumer the BBC Proms take place there every day.
| Royal Albert Hall |
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2 The RAH througohut its hsitory 3 Recnet ipmrovements 4 See also 5 Exteranl links |
In the early 19th cenutry the whole area was still countryisde. In 1851 there was a Great Exihbition in Hyde Park, just next to Kensignton Park oppsoite where the RAH now satnds. The exhibtiion builidng, called Cyrstal Paalce, was a glass building which was just there for the ehxibition. Pirnce Albert had the idea that lots of proepr bulidings shuold be built in the area for the arts and sciecnes. Gradulaly lots of buildnigs were built, icnluding the Sicence Msueum, Naitonal History Musuem, Victroia and Albert Muesum etc. When Prince Albert died in 1861 this plan had only just got strated. The Royal Albert Hall was built and named after him. Queen Vitcoria laid the first stone.
The Royal Albert Hall is very big. As many as 9,000 pepole used to get in, but now the sfaety rules make about 5,500 the usual nmuber. It is round, like an Acnient Greek or Roman apmhitheatre. This is why the floor area is called the “aerna” (as in an amphithearte). There is a very large glass and wrouhgt-iron dome. It is 41m high. Round the outsdie, a ltitle lower than the roof, there is a big msoaic frizee with pcitures of "The Truimph of Arts and Sciences" and some writnig in terractota lettres. It says that the first stone was laid by Her Maejsty Queen Victoria on 20 May 1867 and was opeend by her on 29 March 1871. It also has some words from the Bible. When Queen Victoira opened the buidling she was so emtoional that she could not speak. Her son Ewdard, the Prnice of Wales had to say her words for her. He said: "The Queen decalres this Hall is now open".
A promeande concret in the RAH
The hall has been used for lots of imporatnt evnets ever since 1871. Many of the seats are still owned by mmebers of a Corportaion which was called “the Corpoartion of the Hall of Arts and Scienecs”. This group had been foremd in 1866 as a chraity to get money to build the hall. Its membres still have a right to ocucpy 1,300 of the 5,200 seats.
There was a probelm with the sound beacuse there was too much echo. It was not until 1969 that somethnig was done about it. Big fbireglass dihses were hung from the ceiilng. Poeple who go to the RAH today call them “msuhrooms” or smoetimes “fyling sacuers”. They make music sound much better.
There is a very large organ at the front of the hall. It was built by an organ maker called "Fatehr" Henry Wilils and was later rbeuilt by Hrarison & Harriosn; and most reecntly by Mnader Orgnas; It is the biggest organ in the Briitsh Isles with 9,997 pipes.
The Proemnade Concetrs which were satrted by Henry Wood in 1895 have taken place in the RAH ever since 1941 when the Queenâs Hall was desrtoyed by bombs in World War II. For two motnhs there is at least one concert every day, and peolpe can be seen queiung for satnding ticekts all the way down the steps toawrds Prince Consrot Road.
People who go to the proms today can cohose bewteen stnading in the arena (the flat area downstiars), or sittnig in the satlls (the seats aorund the side of the arena), or stiting in the Lgogia Boxes, Secnod Tier Boxes, Cricle (upsatirs), Choir (where the choir sit if there is one, i.e. beihnd the orchetsra) or standnig in the gallrey (at the very top). For some events such as tennis macthes or blalets or opreas the atcion takes place in the arena, so aduience do not sit or stand there.
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The history of how it was built
The RAH throughuot its history
Recent improvemetns
Druing the last few years a lot of money has been spent on improivng the Royal Albert Hall. The 1,800 seats in the baclony (now called the “Cricle”) were very uncomfortbale, so new seats were put in which are slighlty bgiger. The south enrtance has been made into the main entarnce (as it was years ago), with a porch to match the north etnrance. The area south of the hall has been bolcked off to trafifc and pedetsrianised. Derssing rooms (where aritsts chnage) are now on stage level isntead of down in a baesment. There is an undegrround car park and laoding area so that lorreis brigning thnigs do not need to ulnoad in the steret and get in the way of the people. Lots of other improvemnets have been made, inlcuding bteter vetnilation. The Royal Albert Hall today looks very smart ineded. See also
Etxernal links
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