Visit the Victoria Hall

Published on May 15, 2024 at 8:00 am

The Victoria Hall is a much-loved concert venue, renowned for its excellent acoustics and its monumental organ (one of the largest in Europe!). It was built in 1894 by a British Consul based in Geneva who was passionate about classical music. He dedicated it to his sovereign Queen Victoria and chose to endow the monument with a sumptuous decoration of stucco and deep red drapery. Today, the hall is mainly devoted to classical music, but it also plays host to some of the biggest names in song, jazz and world music. Many famous artists have given concerts at the Victoria Hall, including Rachmaninov, Ravel, Stravinsky, Duke Ellington and Ella Fitzgerald. If you want to attend a quality concert in the city, this is the place to be!

The concert hall at Geneva's Victoria Hall is richly decorated, Switzerland.

Summary

The history of the monument
The architecture of Victoria Hall
Our favourite accommodation near the monument
Attend a concert
Practical info

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The history of the monument

The British Consul in Geneva, Daniel Fitzgerald Packenham Barton, had two passions: music and sailing. Possessing a considerable fortune, he decided to put this money to good use by having the Geneva architect John Camoletti build a concert hall in 1894 dedicated to his sovereign, Queen Victoria. The building, designed by an architect friend, was the fruit of a shared passion for music and sailing between the two men, who were both members of the Harmonie Nautique. They shared the ambition of giving Geneva a concert hall with excellent acoustics.

In 1904, Barton sold the building to the City of Geneva. However, flames damaged the interior of the concert hall 80 years later. The city then decided to restore it. The original painting by Ernest Biéler was replaced by a contemporary work by Dominique Appia.

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Tiffany Hotel

Set in a quiet street in the heart of Geneva's bohemian district, near the Grand Théâtre, the Hotel Tiffany features a wellness area and a library.

8.4 Very good

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The architecture of Victoria Hall

The nude statue of the Allegory of Harmony is enthroned on the façade.

The building has a remarkable Beaux-Arts façade, with a door frame decorated with the arms of the Barton and Peel families. The nude statue of the Allegory of Harmony is mounted on a plinth above this frame, and caused a certain amount of scandal when it was installed at the time.

Victoria Hall is dedicated primarily to classical music.

The sides of the building are designed as imposing corner towers, on which are engraved the names of sixteen symphonic composers from the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries.

The sober entrance to the building leads to the opulent décor of the concert hall, which features red and gold ornamentation in the neo-baroque, even rococo style, and a monumental organ dating from 1993.

Our favourite accommodation near the monument

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Peaceful accommodation for 4 people.

Guests benefit from free Wi-Fi and a fully equipped kitchen.

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£276

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Attend a concert

Now mainly dedicated to classical music, the Victoria Hall also plays host to some of the biggest names in chanson, jazz and world music. You can attend a concert all year round by consulting the programme.

Concert at the Victoria Hall, Geneva, Switzerland.

If you're on a tight budget, we'd advise you to check out "Les Concerts du dimanche" (Sunday Concerts), organised by the city of Geneva from autumn to spring at low prices. One Sunday a month, the programme takes you on a journey through musical styles and aesthetics. The programme highlights local cultural players as well as ensembles from further afield.