BRADFORD City Hall, standing in the heart of the city, will be a sight that thousands of people see every day on their trips through the centre.
But the Grade I listed building, which celebrates its 150th anniversary this weekend, is one that many Bradford residents may not have ever set foot inside.
This weekend, people will have the chance to tour the iconic building when it opens its doors to mark 150 years since the first section of the building was completed.
Among the sights in the building that will be on free open day are the Council Chamber, where some of the biggest political decisions in Bradford history have been made, and the Lord Mayor’s rooms, which have hosted royal visitors, most recently King Charles.
Considered to be one of the most impressive City Halls in the country, Bradford City Hall is a testament to the grandeur of the era in which it was built, when Bradford was one of the richest cities in the world due to its thriving wool trade.
Built mainly in a medieval Gothic style, and constructed out of Gaisby sandstone, the building features a clock tower inspired by the Palazzo Vecchio, the town hall in Florence, Italy.
The building is also surrounded by 35 statues of British monarchs – with the most recent one being Queen Victoria.
It was designed by Bradford architects Lockwood and Mawson, who were also behind many of Bradford’s other iconic buildings that still remain to this day, including St George's Hall, the Wool Exchange and Titus Salt's Mill in Saltaire.
Although the hall is used on a day to day basis by Bradford Council, stepping into some sections of the building seems like stepping back in time.
Many of the windows retain stained glass panels, and Victorian tiling featuring the Bradford boar can be found in both the large corridors and the toilets.
Microphones and energy saving bulbs on the grand chandeliers in the Council Chamber are some of the only giveaways that you are stood in a functioning civic building and not the film set of a period political drama.
Detailed carvings on the fireplace in the banqueting suite are among the decorations that highlight the extravagance of the area the hall was built – in stark contrast to the value for money designs that dominate modern public buildings.
Other period features in the suite include a “minstrels gallery” – a mezzanine area hidden behind a window where musicians would play to the guests dining below, and a set of huge lanterns hanging from the ceiling.
The Earnest Saville Room features portraits of Lord Mayors over the decades – highlighting the increasing diversity of the District as time moves on.
The Lord Mayor’s Chamber has hosted Kings and Queens, charity heroes and sports stars, and is another part of the building that seems barely changed since City Hall opened 150 years ago.
And one corridor includes treasures gifted to the city over the years, from elaborate cigar lighters made from animal horns to a pair of asparagus tongs.
The building was constructed in phases, with the original front section completed in 1873. An extension, including the current Council Chamber, was finished in 1914.
The statues of kings and queens around City Hall also feature Oliver Cromwell. The inclusion was a controversial one at the time – particularly with Bradford’s Irish community.
Local folklore says all the Irish workers involved in the construction of City Hall were given the day off when the statue was being installed to prevent it being “accidentally” dropped and broken.
Plans to open the building up to the public on a more regular bases date back years.
A plan to open a national Rugby League museum in a section of City Hall was dropped in 2020.
Since then there have been suggestions the hall could include a museum of Bradford history, allowing people to more regularly visit the civic building.
When asked if this was still a plan, Bradford Council Leader Susan Hinchcliffe said: “We’d still like to do that very much. It is just a case of getting the finances and investment together to do it.
“We’d like to have it opened up as a people’s museum – but it is a question of how far money will stretch. It is a public building and we would like for it to be as open to the public as possible.
“That is why we want as many people as possible to visit this weekend.”
The City Hall Open Weekend is part of the nationwide Heritage Open Days scheme, and will take place on Saturday 9 September (10am-6pm with last entry at 5pm) and Sunday 10 September (11am-3pm with last entry at 2pm).
To mark the anniversary the Telegraph & Argus has produced a walking guide for the best sights around the city centre – including City Hall.
The guide can be found by visiting here.
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