Architecture of Australia. Must see and must visit landmarks

Location on the map:   Interesting facts: » The AAMI Stadium is a sports complex. Football matches are mostly held here.
»  At the same time, 51240 spectators or 5% of the city population can watch the game.
»  The stadium is a home arena for Adelaide United FC. It also serves as a base for the National Soccer League.
»  The AAMI Stadium is second to none in the size of the field among other sports complexes in South Australia. The playing surface is about 2 hectares. One corner is 165 m away from the other. The ground is covered with natural grass. 17 species of grass have been planted here.
»  During night competitions, the stadium is illuminated by lights of special towers.
»  Foreign troupes often choose the stadium for meet-and-greets.
»  The sports ground was constructed in 1971. The stadium is roofed. TV displays let see what happens in the arena.
»  The Northern Stand was opened in 2001. Old aluminum benches were replaced by plastic seats.
»  The record number of fans (66 987) was reported at that time.

» Different theatrical performances, sports games, and concerts are held in the Adelaide Entertainment Centre. It accommodates up to 10 000 people depending on an event.
»  The halls of the Adelaide Entertainment Centre are distinguished by modern equipment and amazing acoustics. In the building, there are not only theatrical scenes, but also conference rooms and food outlets. The AEC is an arena with a dome.
»  The last reconstruction of the Centre cost $52 million.
»  A new entrance and a separate theatre complex were built. After the major renovation, the inner rooms, such as a lobby and a backstage have been expanded. There is also a parking area.
»  The pit was dug for the construction. It was necessary to remove over 75 tons of dirt and pour it with concrete. 36 tons of the mixture and 980 tons of steel constructions were used. In total, the construction lasted 750 000 hours.
»  The opening ceremony was held by the Prime Minister.
»  The special company monitoring the activity of the Centre was founded. The company’s board includes seven directors.
»  It is documented that the Entertainment Centre was visited by 370 000 spectators at one time.

» The Adelaide Festival Centre is located in a picturesque place near the embankment.
»  The building resembles geometrical figures with its appearance. The silver and white roof and the facade are seen from afar. The festival centre is multifunctional. Its construction cost $21 million.
»  The halls of the Festival Centre have excellent acoustics. The main building belongs to theatrical personalities. The construction of this building cost $10 million. 1980 was marked by the opening of the Festival Centre.
»  The Centre consists of several halls. Their total capacity is 5 000 thousand people. The audience hall can accommodate 2 thousand spectators.
»  Near the square, there is a cubic sculptural composition created by the West German master. It resembles a stone garden of concrete. Besides aesthetic delight and pleasant pastime, the citizens intended to avoid ventilation holes in the territory.
»  In the Festival Theatre square, there is an environmentally friendly statue. It was made of stainless steel.
»  The suspension bridge for pedestrians, cafes, and boutiques have been recently built here.

» The stadium is a city attraction. It was opened in 1871. Its capacity is 53 583 spectators.
»  Adelaide Oval is the home of the South Australian Cricket Association and Football League. It is second to none among cricket fields.
»  The stadium is located in the Green Zone. There is a natural playing field. Football, cricket, and basketball matches are held here. Athletes and cyclists try their skills here too. In total, 16 kinds of sport are represented.
»  The administration also provides an area for festive events and entertainment concerts.
»  Over the years of its existence, Adelaide Oval has been reconstructed many times. The last one cost $535 million.
»  During the reconstruction, the stadium was equipped with a new audio and navigation system. New displays and a board appeared here.
»  The attendance record (62543 people) was registered in 1965.
»  The lighting system has been upgraded significantly. The dome on the roof covers the whole stadium. Its LEDs are painted in the team’s colors. When the team scores a goal, LEDs have its colors. So, those who do not watch the game at the stadium can see its score.

» There is one of the oldest building and architectural attractions in the city square. It belongs to the town hall.
»  The building is distinguished by an emblem on the outer wall. The lion and the kangaroo are painted on the national emblem. There is the embossed miner’s hand above the emblem. The pick embodies fertility of the local soil. Figurines of ships, the picture of the sheep, the bull’s head, and the wheat sheaf represent the activity of the first settlers. There are the words of the Latin motto below. The text is a call to unity to prosper.
»  The building started to be built in 1863. It was finished three years after.
»  The tower is named after the Prince of Alberta. The clock appeared here in 1935.
»  Public music concerts and gala receptions are held in the Town Hall. The Beatles performed on the upper terrace in 1964. 300 000 fans gathered together to see their favorite musicians. It was their biggest audience.
»  Symphony orchestras also perform here because the hall has the best acoustics in the world.

» The Art Gallery of New South Wales is the largest public gallery in Sydney and the fourth largest in Australia.
» The Gallery was built in 1897 in the classical style. In the same year the first two exhibition halls have been open; two more opened two years later.
» Exterior of the building is decorated with bronze sculptures symbolizing the contribution of the four great civilizations, Roman, Greek, Assyrian and Egyptian, to art.
» You can see works by many Australian artists of the 19th and 20th centuries in the gallery. There are also works by Rubens, Canaletto, Picasso, Rodin, Monet, Cezanne and other renowned artists.
» You can visit exhibition halls with Australian, European and Asian art for free.

Location on the map:   Interesting facts: » The punitive system of Australia can be studied in the museum. Boggo Road is a vivid example of a correctional institution.
»  Inside you can see prison cells, the preserved old furniture, and sometimes, according to legend, also ghosts.
»  The prisons were overcrowded, so the need for a new construction arose. In 1880, a design was made, and three years after, the men's prison was opened. In October 1903, the women's prison started to operate.
»  The No. 2 Division lasted for 18 years. More prisons for men were still needed.
»  Boggo Road Gaol was a place where many villains served their sentence.
»  The prison ceased to exist in 1989. Most of the buildings were destroyed.
»  According to some information, a hundred people were executed there in total.
»  Thanks to several former security guards, the prison was turned into a museum in 1992. As many as 20,000 tourists visit the museum, which indicates an increasing interest in this unusual place.
»  A tour starts with passing through the iron gate. Walking around the corridors and cells, you can vividly imagine what the prison life of the past was like.
»  Today, the grim building is often used as a film location, and some people even hold wedding receptions here.

» You can have a bird’s-eye view of the Australian city of Brisbane from the top of Brisbane City Hall. The building was opened in the 1920s.
»  A clock tower stretches for 91 metres towards the sky. It has 4 massive bells that weigh three tons. Tourists have an opportunity to get inside the gigantic clock face.
»  There’s a concert hall with an organ in the building. A circular hall often hosts mass events. There are also a gallery museum and an archive.
»  The first city hall building was erected in 1864. 18 years after, it became clear that the local council needs more space to fit everyone in. So, in 1917, a mayor signed an order to construct a new building.
»  According to a plan, a figure of an angel and sculptures of harnessed horses were installed on the clock tower and copper domes were added at each corner.
»  There were citizens that were against the construction, because it required a considerable amount of money and the area was too swampy, in their opinion. The construction plan was slightly amended and approved.
»  In 1927, the local council moved to the building that was still under construction.
»  A lift, made in 1930, gets people to an observation deck, which was visited by The Beatles, Queen Elizabeth, Princess Diana and Prince Charles, Dalai Lama.

Location on the map:   Interesting facts: » Brougham Place Uniting Church is a church in North Adelaide. The House of God is a local attraction.
»  The facade of the building faces the green recreation area. It is faced with light brown sandstone blocks. They attached to each other so tightly that make the construction monolithic.
»  The staircases lead to the entrance. They are separated with narrow rails. There are lanterns at the bottom of the stairs.
»  The main entrance of three doors is framed with small columns. Their tops have arched framing. There are round stained glass rose windows above them. There is a three-tiered tower above the central doorway.
»  The construction was projected by the architect Thomas Frost. The first stone was laid in the foundation on 15 May 1860. Eleven years later, the tower was added to the main building. It is crowned by a metal patterned spire.
»  The outer walls are blank. In the walls, there are small niches with columns inside.
»  The lecture hall appeared in 1878.
»  The organ was placed in the church only in 1871. It was quite strong at that time. The church is located on Brougham Place.
»  It had belonged to the Congregational Church before.

Location on the map:   Interesting facts: » The mansion located at the foot of the hill is one of the buildings preserved in their original form.
»  The hostess of the house, Ursula, planted a garden in the English classic style around the summer residence.
»  Rare species of flora grow in the green area. Blooming shrubs, the rosary, different species of lilies, and orchids are still in an excellent condition. In the inner courtyard, there is a picturesque ivied gazebo. In the territory of the residence, there are paths of pebbles and shale. Ponds and the orchard make it extraordinary.
»  Sir Edward gifted the house to his wife. The Haywards were a good judge of British art. Here, you can see the excellent collection of picturesque canvasses and antique items including furniture. The building is faced with Basket Range stone.
»  The residence with a total area of 40 hectares was a wedding gift to the newlyweds.
»  At one time, it was visited by art connoisseurs. Also, events, where invited artists and composers performed, were held here.
»  Then, the mansion became a place for local aristocrats.
»  After the death of owners, the Carrick Hill came to the government.
»  Every year, the historical residence is visited by 100 000 people.

Location on the map:   Interesting facts: » The first stone of the future Cathedral of St Stephen was laid in late December 1863, on the Christian Great Martyr Remembrance Day.
»  The construction began in 1874 thanks to donations from laymen. The chapel standing nearby was designed by another architect. The cathedral was constructed in 1922.
»  Tuff, sandstone and porphyry were the foundation stones. Everything has signs of the modern Catholic style elements. It can be noticed in the spire on the turret as well.
»  The stained glass windows on the east side were once delivered from Munich. One of the windows is known as the "Mayne" window. It was made by an Irish craftsman.
»  On sunny days, the colourful glass windows create a fancy pattern on the stone floor tiles and walls.
»  The temple seems small from the outside, while the internal layout looks spacious because of huge ceilings. Following the best English traditions, the chants to the sounds of a unique organ can be heard in the holy place. They are performed by male choirs on Catholic holidays.
»  Numerous buildings were gradually erected on the territory of the cathedral: a school, a bishop's house, business premises for the Metropolis, a meeting hall. They are all different in architectural style.

Location on the map:   Interesting facts: » The Coopers Stadium is located near the city center. The building is multifunctional and has a global status. The stadium is a home arena and a training camp of the football club.
»  The rectangular sports ground is distinguished by a perfect surface. Players from other sports teams train here too.
»  The Coopers Stadium also invites performers. Its acoustics lets hold live concerts. Not only sports competitions, but also different entertainment events are organized here.
»  The capacity of the sports ground is 16 000 people but there are only 15 000 seats. There are 22 VIP boxes.
»  The attendance record was broken in 2008 when the stadium welcomed 17 000 visitors.
»  The name of the stadium is the same as of the Australian Coopers brewery that sponsors the center and has bought the right of its ownership.
»  You can use a lift to reach upper stands and boxes. The construction was completed in 1960.
»  There are no running tracks and the field coating is not heated. The playground is 120х80 m.
»  Its refurbishment for the Olympic Games in 2000 cost $27 million.

» The ground floor of Customs House is a glass floor with a panoramic view of the central district of Sydney, City. Customs House is marked with a red beam.
»  Customs House has a place for leisure, a cafe, free Wi-Fi, and a library. Customs House is located on the embankment.
»  Nowadays, the building of the old mansion belongs to the university.
»  It was built in 1886 and belonged to the local customs. The building was rented by the education institution in April 1988. It was being restored for three years.
»  In 1994, the building was opened again and complemented with new offices. About 8 millions in local currency were spent on the restoration of the building.
»  There is a restaurant within walking distance from it, in the same buildings. The basement is occupied by an art gallery. Concerts are often organized here.
»  There is also an outdoor patio. One of the spacious rooms is named “Long Room”. Today, lectures and gala dinners are held here.
»  The design of the building features a copper dome and Corinthian columns. There is the image of the shield, kangaroo, and emu, which are the symbols of Australia. The iron balustrade was made in England.

» The Etihad Stadium is the first multi-purpose sports and entertainment center in Melbourne with a capacity of 55 thousand people.
» The stadium has the ability to carry out sports, cultural and recreational activities in all weather conditions thanks to its retractable roof.
» The stadium was opened in 2000. Now it hosts more than 100 events annually, such as concerts, Australian or European football, rugby competitions or cricket cups.
» There are restaurants, cafes and bars in the entertainment area, and lots of shops close to the center.
» The Etihad Stadium was the venue for concerts of Bon Jovi, Eminem, U2, Andre Riez, Robbie Williams, AC/DC and many others.