Royal Albert Hall

Classical music, rock, pop and jazz, sporting events, galas, banquets and balls and the world-famous Proms series all take place within the Royal Albert Hall's iconic oval walls. One of London's most versatile venues, it is a favourite of performers from Jose Carreras to Kylie Minogue. The Hall also plays host to the Seniors' tennis circuit. The likes of Becker and McEnroe can be seen bouncing balls off the famous mushrooms on the ceiling. The brainchild of Prince Albert, inspired by the success of the Great Exhibition, the hall first opened in 1871, ten years after the Prince's death. Heavily influenced by ancient amphitheatres and notions of the 'Empire and the arts, the oval structure's terracotta walls are decorated on the outside with a frieze dedicated to "The Triumph of Arts and Sciences". Gas lighting, poor acoustics and old pipe organs have been replaced over the years and the awe-inspiring venue now exists as a testimony to both the architectural and aesthetic achievements of the past and the technological developments of the present - it now features the largest pipe organ in the British Isles. A Grade I listed building, the hall has a capacity of over 5000 and is most consistently packed out during the summer when the Promenade concerts take over. First held here in 1941 when their original venue - the Queen's Hall - was bombed, the Proms remain fantastically popular.