Frere Hall

Frere Hall is one of the many remnant buildings of the British Colonial era that still exists in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan.

It was built in honor of Sir Henry Bartle Edward Frere, who was a British colonial administrator known for promoting economic development in Sindh and also for making the Sindhi Language compulsory to use in Sindh instead of Persian.

After Frere’s death, Frere Hall become a museum which attempts to include all the paintings and books from the British Colonial era. As of 2016, Frere Hall is still open for public and it is also one of the most important place for tourism because not only because of the building's notable architecture but also it carries a lot of information of British rule in Sub-Continent. Frere Halls is also one of the main buildings made by and for British in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan.

The Hall is ideally located in front of the Marriott hotel and right next to Sindh club. It’s located between Haroon road (formerly Victoria Road) and Fatima Jinnah Road (formerly Bonus Road) and it’s also surrounded by American Embassy and Singapore Embassy. The area is also surrounded by a High Security zone because of the nearby embassies. It is located in civil lines locality of the town.

Frere Hall stands proud with overlooking the distant horizon. This 151-years-old construction serves a deeper historical purpose, one that is traveled with people, their culture and their practice through the decades. Out of 13 different design option where considered for the project but Lieutenant Colonel Clair Wilson’s architectural design clearly stood out which gave the Hall its Venetian Gothic architecture|Venetian-Gothic look.

The layout of the Frere Hall is the perfect blend of British architecture and Sub-continent architecture. The architecture includes multiple pointed arches, ribbed vaults and flying buttresses. Amazing carving on the walls and beautifully articulated mosaic designs are visible on multiple walls and pillars which support the building.

The total cost of this hall was about Rs. 180,000 out of which the Government contributed Rs. 10,000 while the rest was paid for by the municipality.

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Wikipedia