The Royal Albert Hall of Arts and Sciences or more commonly known as Royal Albert Hall is a prominent performing arts venue known around the world. It’s located in South Kensington close to Kensington Palace in London. The hall was opened by Queen Victoria in 1871 and has become a much desired venue for many leading artists around the world.
As the name suggests the hall was named by Queen Victoria as a gesture of appreciation to her late husband Prince Albert, who was a keen promoter of reforms and modernizations in Britain’s education, finances and manufacturing industries. The hall itself is a remarkable work of art. Its distinct architectural attributes highlights itself as a unique structure true to its fame and reputation. The hall was designed by Captain Francis Fowke and Colonel H.Y. Darracott Scott of the Royal Engineers who were heavily influenced by ancient amphitheatres and works of Gottfried Semper, who was a prominent German architect.
Although it was a great work of art, the hall experienced some acoustical problems that lasted till late 1960s until the installation of a series of large fiberglass acoustic diffusing discs. Gas lamps were used as lights in its early years and the hall was converted into electric lighting in 1897.
The Hall has been a favored venue for all forms of arts ranging from concerts, dancing, and poetry recitals to even a circus. It has also hosted a number of sporting events including boxing, wrestling and tennis. It also hosted the first Sumo wrestling tournament to be held outside Japan. Sir Malcolm Sargent, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Petula Clark, Jimi Hendrix, Led Zepplin, Joni Mitchell and ABBA are just a few of the artists who have performed at this prestigious venue.
Today the Royal Albert Hall has become a prominent landmark in London. Each year it hosts more than 350 performances ranging from award ceremonies to music concerts. It has become a major tourist destination attracting visitors form around the world. A large number of accommodation facilities, restaurants, eateries and shops are located around this popular London landmark. Many London hotels are located close to the Hall and Millennium Hotels London, a prominent hotel chain, has a number of hotels in Kensington close to the Royal Albert Hall.
Source: http://www.ArticlePros.com/author.php?Naveen Marasinghe
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