Royal Exhibition Building

heritage building in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

The Royal Exhibition Building is in Carlton, Victoria, Australia. When it was built in 1880, it was the largest building in Australia and the tallest building in Melbourne. It is listed as a World Heritage site. It is the only 19th century exhibition hall that held an international exhibition still in use.[1] In 1880, 1.8 million people visited the exhibition; the population of Melbourne was only 282,000 people.[2] From 1901 to 1925 the state government of Victoria used the building while the federal government used the State Parliament buildings.

Royal Exhibition Building
The Royal Exhibition Building, showing the fountain on the southern or Carlton Gardens side of the building
Map
General information
Location9 Nicholson Street, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Coordinates37°48′17″S 144°58′16″E / 37.804728°S 144.971225°E / -37.804728; 144.971225
Construction started1879 (1879)
Completed1880 (1880)
Design and construction
ArchitectJoseph Reed
Official nameRoyal Exhibition Building and Carlton Gardens
TypeCultural
Criteriaii
Designated2004 (28th session)
Reference no.1131
State Party Australia
RegionAsia-Pacific

In 2009, archaeologists dug up the car park to find out more about the buildings. They found paths from gardens that had been on the site before the building was put up. They also found the remains of an octagonal (eight-sided) kiosk which had sold food snacks and drinks in the gardens. They also found the remains of an extra building put up in 1888 to hold military weapons that were part of the 1880 exhibition.[2]

References

change
  1. "Royal Exhibition Building: The Building". Royal Exhibition Building. Archived from the original on 8 September 2009. Retrieved 8 September 2009.
  2. 2.0 2.1 Lahey, Kate (November 23, 2009). "Digging deep for the secret garden". The Age. p. 3.