Located in Nakanoshima, Osaka City Central Public Hall, with its distinctive red bricks and Neo Renaissance style is also designated a national important cultural property. It and Osaka Castle together have become familiar to many people as symbols of Osaka. The hall is used for things like lectures and classical concerts. The construction started with a city resident's contribution of 1,000,000 yen, equivalent to 500,000,000 yen today. The builing was completed in 1918, in accordance with designs by exemplary Meiji Era architects, Okada Shinito and Tatsuno Kingo. The main hall has been visited by the likes of political activist, Helen Keller and Soviet cosmonaut, Yuri Gagarin. On the basement floor is Nakanoshima Social Eat Awake, which offers creative cuisine using Japanese ingredients and wine in a refined, Western style room. In 1999, as part of a major preservation and restoration project, the building received improvements in earthquate-proofing, air conditioning, lighting, handicap accessibilty, and elevators. It is within 5 minutes walking distance of Yodoyabashi Station.