Unlike Sydney, Melbourne isn’t really recognized for its skyline. There are some visually striking exceptions to this such as Arts Centre spire and the enormous Eureka Tower. But it is fair to say we don’t really have those defining structures that stand out like the opera house or the harbour bridge. But that’s ok because what you will find is several of Melbourne’s most interesting and beautiful buildings hidden within the city grid, on street corners or in grand parks and gardens.
Here is a selection of the more stunning buildings in and around Melbourne. You can make a day of it as see them all at once or just pop in when you’re on your way to somewhere else and tick them off that way.
Royal Exhibition Building
Created by architect Joseph Reed (who additionally did the Melbourne Town Hall as well as the State Collection of Victoria) and also completed in 1880, the Royal Event Building is among Australia’s the majority of outstanding building charms. It is one of the globe’s oldest staying exhibit structures as well as was constructed to host the very first official Globe’s Fair in the Southern Hemisphere. While smaller sized sections of the building were demolished or wrecked by fire, the major structure, called the Great Hall, has actually endured. Not just is the structure excellent from the outside, the ornate decoration of the Great Hall needs to be seen IRL (you can get an excellent peek at choose occasions throughout the year, including the Melbourne International Blossom and Garden Show, the Dog Lovers Show and also the Finders Keepers Market). Enjoyable reality: the Royal Event Structure was the very first building in the country to be awarded UNESCO World Heritage standing (take that, Sydney Music Hall!).
Flinders Station
Flinders Stree Station – its dome so iconically Melbourne. Rumour has it that the original designs for Flinders Street Station were accidentally mixed up with the designs for Mumbai’s (then Bombay) main train station. It makes good sense: Mumbai obtained a looming, gothic structure, and also we obtained a slightly Eastern Indian-inspired style. Whether it’s true or not , Flinders Street Station has got to be one of the city’s most recognisable sites. Building started in 1900, with the original styles laid out by Fawcett and also Ashworth similar to a French Renaissance style, including a huge dome over the primary entryway and also a clock overlook the Elizabeth Street entry. The building’s elusive leading floor ballroom was a later addition, as well as has actually been mainly abandoned since the ’80s (though lucky punters could creep a peek during the annual Open Home occasion).
State Library of Victoria
Melbourne’s central library was well established way back in 1854, making it among the first totally free public libraries on the planet. Architect Joseph Reed was behind the style, which initially incorporated a collection, museum and also gallery in the one building (the National Gallery of Victoria ultimately transferred to St Kilda Road in 1968, and the Melbourne Gallery moved to Carlton Gardens in 2000). The initial stage of the library opened in 1856, with a collection of 3,800 publications, and also consisted of most of the front wing and the Queen’s Hall analysis area. The collection’s well-known Domed Analysis Room opened up in 1913 as well as was designed by Bates, Peebles and also Smart (currently referred to as Bates Smart), which was a follower to Reed’s designer company. In 1959, the dome’s skylights were covered in copper as a result of water leak. Fun fact: most of the furniture located in the Domed Analysis Area (including those rickety wooden chairs) have never ever been changed.
Manchester Unity Building
Most likely one of one of the most prominent Art Deco structures in Melbourne, the Manchester Unity Building absolutely does not obtain the credit it is worthy of, possibly due to its more well-known next-door neighbours (cough, Melbourne City center). Sitting on the north-west corner of Swanston Street as well as Collins Street, the site was purchased back in 1928 by the Manchester Unity Independent Order of Oddfellows (currently referred to as Australian Unity). Building was postponed because of the Great Depression but started early in 1932, with layouts reminiscent of the Tribune Tower in Chicago. The design features buff-coloured cladding, vertical ribbing and also a Gothic crown that includes numerous flying buttresses. There are a total of 12 floorings, with Melbourne’s very first escalators set up in the building to get to the cellar gallery.
Melbourne’s General Post Office
The old General Post Workplace is found on the edge of Elizabeth Road and also Bourke Road Shopping Center and is a symbol of inner-city Melbourne. The building started construction in 1959 and also invested the next five years being constructed and also redesigned. The renowned clock tower was added around 1887, throughout this final stage of building and construction. American engineer Walter Burley Lion redesigned the arranging hall right into a public hall around 1919, only for it to be altered once again by John Smith Murdoch. The room operated as a message office for a lot of the 20th century until 1993 when Australia Article decided it intended to relocate its blog post office functions right into smaller shopfronts. Lots of business systems were recommended, though none entered into fulfillment till 2001, when it was rented to designers with the objective of turning it into a shopping center. A fire broke out in the GPO in September 2001, ruining the interior of the building, as well as it was just in 2004 was the GPO reopened as a high-end retail district. Since 2014, the GPO has been house to Melbourne’s first H&M store. Also if you’re not there for the clothes and devices, you can still have a peek within at the structure’s excellent 19th-century majesty.