Town Hall, 25 Market Street, Uitenhage

Since the 1820’s there was a strong move locally for the Capital of the Colony to be situated in Uitenhage. When the Town Hall was built in 1882 in Market Street and the Public Building between 1896 and 1898 (now called Victoria Tower), they were such imposing buildings for a small Town that local expectations rose again. The huge Wild Fig Tree on the Left Corner of the Property is more than 100 Years old. It has a Conference Capacity of: Banquet 560, Cinema 450, Cocktail 700.

 

The Original Town Hall was the work of Architect Richard Wright whose design won the first prize of GBP 20 in public competition. The Cornerstone was laid by Edward Dobson on 11 April 1881 and the building was officially opened on 7 August 1882. Its builders Grant & Downie, were paid GBP 72 000 for the work. After the Building became too small for its function, a new Town Hall was built on the site behind the old façade. The Cornerstones of both Buildings were laid on 1 July 1952 and the new Building Complex was officially reopened on 2 December 1955. The façade which is the only remnant of the Original Building was declared a National Monument under old NMC legislation on 5 December 1986, and is best known by Architects for its Idiosyncratic Central Bay where a Triangular Pediment is Supported by 3 Columns.