Manchester Town Hall
| Manchester Town Hall | |
|---|---|
Shown in Greater Manchester | |
| General information | |
| Type | Town hall |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival / High Victorian Gothic |
| Classification | |
Listed Building – Grade I | |
| Designated | 25 February 1952 |
| Reference no. | 1207469 |
| Location | Manchester, England, Town Hall Albert Square Manchester M2 5DB |
| Construction started | 1868 |
| Completed | 1877 |
| Inaugurated | 13 September 1877 |
| Cost | £775,000 – £1 million (£76,330,000 to 98,490,000 as of 2023) |
| Owner | Manchester City Council |
| Height | |
| Height | Clock tower – 280 feet (85 m) |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 6 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Alfred Waterhouse |
Manchester Town Hall is a Victorian, neo-Gothic municipal building in Manchester, England. It is the ceremonial headquarters of Manchester City Council and houses a number of local government departments. The building faces Albert Square to the north and St Peter's Square to the south, with Manchester Cenotaph facing its southern entrance.
Designed by architect Alfred Waterhouse, the town hall was completed in 1877. The building contains offices and grand ceremonial rooms such as the Great Hall which is decorated with Ford Madox Brown's imposing Manchester Murals illustrating the history of the city. The entrance and Sculpture Hall contain busts and statues of influential figures including Dalton, Joule and Barbirolli. The exterior is dominated by the clock tower which rises to 280 feet (85 m) and houses Great Abel, the clock bell.
In 1938, a detached Town Hall Extension was completed and is connected by two covered bridges over Lloyd Street. The town hall was designated as a Grade I listed building on 25 February 1952. Both the building and the adjacent Albert Square have been closed since 2018 for refurbishment and are scheduled to be reopened in Spring 2027.