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
Address	Town Hall Albert Square Manchester M2 5DB
Construction started	1868
Completed	1877
Inaugurated	13 September 1877[1]
Cost	£775,000[2] – £1 million[3] (£90,430,000 to 116,680,000 as of 2024[4])
Owner	Manchester City Council
Height	Clock tower – 280 feet (85 m)
Technical details
Floor count	6
Design and construction
Architect(s)	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. Both the building and the adjacent Albert square have been closed since 2018 for refurbishment and are scheduled to be reopened in summer 2026.^[5]

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.