The historical building started off as the Town Hall. Building process was slow, it took more or less 6 years to finish. This might be owing to tight finances back then because the building was paid for with public funds.
This two storey structure was designed by John Bennett, and it was developed on a grand scale. It is beautifully designed building with tons of Italian influence, plus influences from the British Neo-classicism during the Victorian period. It had a hall at both of its two floors, and also offices used for the municipal workers back then. Concert events on top of theatre productions used to be performed at the Town Hall back then, plus it was also used for loads of balls.
In fact, the Town Hall housed the Singapore Library, that afterward were to become the Raffles Library and then subsequently, develop into the National Library. You will find numerous hotels in singapore in the central financial district which are close this Victorial Theatre and Concert Hall. These include the Fullerton Hotel and Peninsula Excelsior Hotel. Other hotels that are not so far away include the Marina Bay Sands resort, Mandarin Oriental as well as Raffles Hotel.
When Queen Victoria died in 1901, there was a huge argument whether to pay tribute to her with a statue. Instead, it was chosen to honor her by way of a building. Thus, one more public hall was added in 1903, beside the Town Hall.
This honoring of Queen Victoria has indirectly added to the splendor of the Victoria Theatre. Almost $368,000 was raised for the construction of the building through public funds. There were surplus of in excess of $22,000, that was used for the refurbishments of the Town Hall. The new building structure was formally opened in 1905. The subsequent year also see one more addition. This now-famous 54 metre tall clock tower was added between the two halls to connect them, giving passerby an impression that the two buildings are one. The two structures were connected with a common corridor. The Town Hall re-opened in 1909, and The Pirates of Penzance was the opening performance staged at the renovated construction.
Straits Trading Company gave a timepiece to the clock tower which had a clock face on all of the four sides and it chimed hourly. The hourly chime troubled the guests at the Hotel de I’ Europe which was next to the Padang then. The chimes were stopped from 9pm to 7am in order that guests at the hotel can have a good night rest.
Another fact that the majority do not know is that the statue of Sir Stamford Raffles. It used to stand at the Esplanade and was moved to stand before the two halls only during 1919.
The buildings turned into a temporary hospital for the period of the World War II as well as in 1947, the Victorial Memorial Hall, that served as a municipal building, was the site where Japanese officers as well as soldiers who was accused of massacres along with atrocities were tried for war crimes. Major-General Saburo Kawamura as well as Colonel Masyuki Oishi were accused and sentenced to death there.
In 1954, the Town Hall was renovated and air-conditioning was installed. It became the Victoria Theatre with a seating capacity of over 900. It underwent another key upgrading as well as retrofitting in 1979, and was re-opened as Victorial Concert Hall. A gallery was added on top of the second storey balconies on the front and back were glassed.
It has since hosted various performances by many distinguished artistes coming from all over the world. Till today, this structure still stands strong.
To visit Victorial Concert Hall as well as other remarkable structures around the area, pick a hotel in singapore at central business district at WhichHotel.com now.
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