The Great Hall

The Great Hall is the symbol and the most ambitious building of Montsalvat. Justus Jörgensen’s travels overseas between 1924 and 1928 were the European influence that visitors can see throughout the tour. Visitors can see the typical provincial medieval architecture of the French Villages and the great Gothic cathedrals of France and Spain.   

Jörgensen started the building in 1938 and originally intended the construction to be of mud brick but when he excavated into the hillside he struck Silurian mudstone. Up to the first floor is quarried from the excavation – the subtle change in colour shows the remainder of the building material came from a quarry nearby.

The great Gothic style windows on the front of the building and the side bay window came from the demolished Empire Buildings, later the Royal Insurance Building, in the city – in the 1930’s. The plain glass lead lights around the building were originally photographic glass plates – students cleaned and removed the photos for the lead lights windows. What were the photos – we will never know.   

Upper Gallery
Large skylights fitted to the inner gables enable natural light to fall on the walls of the gallery for exhibited paintings. In the late 1940’s Jörgensen, with help, laid a Tasmanian Oak floor. Students of Jörgensen helped to stain boards, of varying shades, that line the ceiling. A spiral staircase, recycled from the Bijou theatre in the city, leads to the upper floor not accessible for visitors. A narrow wooden staircase allows access to the Great Hall.

Ground Floor Great Hall
The large space immediately gives the impression of a sixteenth century banqueting hall. A mezzanine floor overlooking the space would be the space for minstrels entertaining those at the feast. A ‘pulpit’ to one side of the hall would be for speeches or poems. The floor of the building is covered with heavy flagstones recycled from Collins Street in the city. Currently the space is for wedding receptions and similar gatherings.

GARGOYLEs

Jörgensen’s students and family members carved the gargoyles that have two purposes on the building. First, to frighten away the evil spirits. Secondly, to channel the water from the mansard type roof through the mouth of the gargoyle away from the walls of the building. Jörgensen finished the building in 1958. 

WALL CARVINGS

The keen eye can make out these two carvings, the left is of a ‘sculptor’ and the right is of a ‘blacksmith’.

GATES