Mechanics Hall - Worcester, MA
Posted by: 
nomadwillie
N 42° 15.938 W 071° 48.067
19T E 268976 N 4683070
A Renaissance Revival style building for classical perfomances in music.
Waymark Code: WMH21Z
Location: Massachusetts, United States
Date Posted: 05/09/2013
Views: 2
"In Mechanics Hall were held for many years Worcester's famous Musical Festivals, which are still a noteworthy annual event, held now in theMemorial Auditorium." - Massachusetts: A Guide to Its Places and People, 1937
Mechanics Hall was built between 1855-57. The architect was Elbridge Boyden. It is Italianate style of architecture. The exterior is pressed and cast metal. It was restored in 1977.
Mechanics Hall has 2 primary levels. At street level there is a centered entrance which leads to the concert hall. Flanked on either side of the entrance are retail locations. Each of these locations has a separate entrance flanked by windows. These entrances have very inviting detail to draw you into the store. Right above this layer each retail location has a bank of 3 palladian windows. The next layer is a bank of 5 palladian windows with the appearance of balconies in front of them. On either end of the building are 2 pilasters headed by corinthian style capitals. Then across the building there are double oolumns headed by corianthina style capitals. These support the pediment that spans across the entire building as the final layer.
Mechanics Hall is both stately and musical. If you lister close enough you can hear the notes of the orchestra beaming out of the windows, the opera singers and chorus standing on the balconies singing at the top of their lungs for all to hear. Just standing in front of Mechanics Hall you begin to sway with the drums, violins, bassons, flutes, french horns, trombones, clarinets, violas and the rest of the instruments in the orchestra.