St George’s Hall, Liverpool

Emma Sumner

Combining both Victorian cells and a stunning hidden floor, St George’s Hall Liverpool makes for an unusual visit.

St George’s Hall has been at the centre of Liverpool’s celebrations and tribulations since it first opened in 1854.  It’s a building with a unique character and history: the original design combined both the Town Council’s call for a new music hall, and government orders to build a new Assizes Court, making St George’s possibly the only civic building to host both music concerts and murder trials under one roof.

St George’s grand neo-classical facade was built as a civic icon to rival all comers, but in the 1980s, when Liverpool’s Courts moved to new locations, St George’s was left underused and drastically underfunded.  After a careful £23 million refurbishment, St George’s doors were officially reopened in April 2007 by Prince Charles. The addition of a Heritage Centre provides visitors with the opportunity to discover St George’s exceptional history and the ingenious engineering feats that went into its construction; challenges like building the Hall’s barrel vaulted ceiling, for instance, which is 25 metres high. That’s roughly the height of thirteen men, stacked on top of one another. It’s possibly the only civic building to host both music concerts and murder trials under one roof

After soaking up some brain-aching information – like the fact that the bellows for the organ were originally powered by a steam engine in the basement – visitors can meander through the original Victorian cells, the grand oak-furnished law courts and judges’ chambers, before reaching the upper balcony, which looks over The Grand Hall. This vast lavish entertainment space is 51 meters in length, 23 metres wide and crowned by a magnificent barrel vaulted ceiling.  Spread the length and width of the Hall is the original Minton tiled floor: its stunning design, made from around 30,000 individual tiles, is considered to be one of the finest examples in the world.  The floor’s sunken lower section has, since 1883, been covered by a wooden sprung dance floor, and is only revealed in its full glory for occasional short periods.

Today, St George’s Hall Liverpool is recognised as both a Grade 1 listed building and a UNESCO World Heritage Site – it also continues to host theatre and music events. Built on the site of the old infirmary, medical library and lunatic asylum – and only a stone’s throw from Lime Street Station – this is a building with a history to match its beauty.

St George's Place LiverpoolL1 1JJ View map
Telephone: 0151 225 6909 Visit Now

Accessibility

Fully wheelchair accessible

Admission Charges

Free

Commercial and Hire Services

Available for weddings, parties and corporate events

Services and Facilities

Tours, exhibitions, events, cafe, shop, heritage centre, civil wedding license

Opening Hours

  • Monday10:00am - 5:00pm
  • Tuesday10:00am - 5:00pm
  • Wednesday10:00am - 5:00pm
  • Thursday10:00am - 5:00pm
  • Friday10:00am - 5:00pm
  • Saturday10:00am - 5:00pm

Always double check opening hours with the venue before making a special visit.

What's on near St George’s Hall, Liverpool

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Where to go near St George’s Hall, Liverpool

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Liverpool Empire Theatre

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Theatre
Royal Court Theatre

The Royal Court Theatre stages mostly home-grown comedies, somewhat mannered and self-conscious reflections of an inward-looking city.

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Walker Art Gallery

The Walker Art Gallery is a small but perfectly formed traditional gallery. It houses an impressive collection of paintings, sculpture and decorative art from 13th century to present day. 

Liverpool Central Library
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Library
Liverpool Central Library

The final building in the World Heritage Site of William Brown Street to be revamped, the wonderfully restored Central Library takes pride of place in Liverpool’s architecturally stunning Cultural Quarter alongside St George’s Hall, Walker Art Gallery and World Museum.

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Liverpool Playhouse

The Liverpool Playhouse, a local gem of a theatre, has a varied programme of events from a rock’n’roll panto, to live poetry and comedy.

O2 Academy music venue in Liverpool.
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O2 Academy Liverpool

O2 Academy Liverpool (formerly the L2 and Carling Academy Liverpool) boasts two performance areas that host live music and clubnights.

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Bacino

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