Thanks to music streaming services, listening to music has been digital for many years. Without leaving your home, you can listen to your favorite artist, favorite song, and your favorite version of it. Surely, it is more convenient and less tiring. However, no amount of cozy streaming can beat the experience of music in these fascinating concert halls.
Royal Albert Hall / England
One of the most distinctive and historically important buildings in the United Kingdom, Royal Albert Hall is a concert venue of the highest quality. In 1851, Prince Albert proposed a cultural hub in the heart of London but died before seeing it complete. In his memory, the designers of the hub built the Royal Albert Hall in 1871.
While designing Royal Albert Hall, the engineers took inspiration from Roman amphitheaters, German and French architecture of the time as well. The hall consists of red bricks and ceramic decorations which was common in England in the 19th century. Moreover, Royal Albert Hall is 41 meters tall and can support up to more than 5000 spectators.
Sydney Opera House / Australia
In the 1940s, the biggest art and performance venue in Australia was the Sydney Town Hall but it was not large enough. Afterward, the director of a music school in Sydney proposed the idea of a larger and bigger concert hall. Later that year, the government of Australia set up a competition and the winner was to design this concert hall. The winner was Jorn Utzon.
This is the story behind one of the best modern architectural examples of the 20th century, the Sydney Opera House. While it took nearly 20 years to finish the building, no one can say that it was not worth it. The late Queen Elizabeth II herself opened the building in 1973. Since then, the opera house has been home to some of the greatest performances in music and opera history.
National Centre for the Performing Arts / China
One of the more recent fascinating concert halls in the world, the Chinese National Centre Concert Hall is gargantuan in size. Although it is 46 meters tall, it is nearly 212 meters large. Due to its size, people also call the National Centre the big egg. Aside from the size and height, the construction of the center cost 300 million euros, making it one of the most expensive concert halls ever.
The reason why the center is large but not tall is because of a rule in the city of Beijing. The centre is too close to the Great Hall of People which is the government building of Beijing. The building is 46 meters and the government did not allow the centre to be taller than that. Therefore, the designers consciously avoided the 46-meter mark and built it to be shorter than that.
Palais Garnier / France
What many call the most famous opera house in the world, Palais Garnier is a historic concert hall in the heart of Paris. It is one of the best examples of the Second Empire architectural style and a trademark site of Paris. Palais Garnier can support up to almost 2000 spectators and it has been a popular building for novels and movies as well.
The hall was the main setting of the famous The Phantom of the Opera which added to its popularity. Aside from the amazing performances on the stage, Palais Garnier is also famous for its exterior and interior artworks. The big chandelier, statues, and mosaics of famous musicians and mythological figures, greek inscriptions fill the Palais Garnier, making it all the more fascinating.
Palau de la Música Catalana / Spain
Translating to Palace of the Catalan Music, Palau de la Musica Catalana is one of the most beautiful buildings in Barcelona. Built between 1905 and 1908 in the Catalan Modernism style, the palace is an example of the Catalan Rebirth movement. During its construction, the wealthy of Barcelona stepped up and helped a lot by donating huge sums of money.
The hall is on the UNESCO Heritage list, proof of its global importance. Every year, nearly half a million people in total visit the hall and experience amazing performances. The exterior of the building contains traces of Spanish and Arabic architecture. Arguably, the most noteworthy part of the hall’s façade is the sculpture which is a symbol of Catalan music.
