In 1981, construction began on the 1,000 seat Festival Concert Hall. The Concert Hall is the focus of the Festival Hill campus and the site of numerous concerts, many performed before the building included air-conditioning or even a roof. The acoustics are considered phenomenal. Concertgoers are greeted on the hall’s West side by gardens and a marble fountain and, once inside, they are reminded of similar European structures by the ornate woodwork, grand staircases, hand-crafted chandeliers and keen attention to detail inherent in the design. However, European influences notwithstanding, the Festival Concert Hall and the artistry of Festival Hill are truly unique.