Culture of Brisbane. Places to visit - old town, temples, theaters, museums and palaces

» The cathedral rises in the centre of the business district. The third bishop of Brisbane appealed to citizens asking them to help with the construction of the church.
»  The facade is made of stone. The pointed turrets, narrow lancet stained-glass windows, granite and basalt columns propping up the dome are characteristic of the neo-gothic European style.
»  The architectural plan was presented at the end of the 19th century. A son of the architect made a design change in 1947. The construction itself lasted for as long as a century. (1887-2009)
»  The temple was consecrated in the presence of 1,500 people. St. John's Cathedral was built on the site of the oldest All Saints Anglican Church (1862) with a wooden tower.
»  Helidon sandstone, which is a mixture of different minerals, was used for cladding the cathedral. It collects embroidered items and things carved from wood, glass and stone, made by local craftsmen. The collection of four hundred pillows depicts local flora and fauna.
»  Tourists can climb a narrow spiral staircase to get to the bell tower. The modern belfry was opened about 10 years ago and occupies 2 floors. 12 bells are hung on the upper floor. They still traditionally chime.

Location on the map:   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.

» The 80-metre bridge has a panoramic view of the city. At night, the historic Story Bridge is illuminated.
»  There are pedestrian and bicycle lanes on both sides of it. The span structures of the construction hang outside the supports. It connects the banks of the river.
»  A new Brisbane bridge was designed according to a famous architect’s drawings. It is named after the early 20th century politician.
»  The foundation stone was laid by the city’s premier in May 1935. Some difficulties arose during the construction of the facility. The soft soil of the river bottom required additional installation supports.
»  The construction was done on a grand scale. It was being built day and night. In late October 1939, two banks of the river were connected. The bridge is 250 metres long. It takes 2.5 hours to cross the bridge.
»  The construction cost about 1.5 million pounds. The cantilever structure copies the famous bridge in Montreal. There are three lanes of traffic in each direction.
»  The traffic was temporarily stopped to celebrate the 50th anniversary. In 2005, a tradition of steel bridge climbs was started, and competitions have been regularly held since then. The winner gets an award certificate.

» The vast Brisbane Suncorp Stadium regularly hosts football matches and other sporting events. The fans of sports games came up with another name for the stadium – The Cauldron.
»  The Australian sports ground is rectangular in shape. The arena is designed to fit in up to 53,000 fans. Rugby union and rugby league (team game with an oval ball) competitions, football matches, and concerts take place here.
»  Suncorp is a world-class stadium. Local citizens consider it one of the sporting "temples".
»  Over a million spectators visit the stadium annually. It’s a home arena for many Australian teams from various types of sports.
»  A statue of Wally Lewis, a legendary rugby league player, is set on a pedestal before the entrance to the sports ground.
»  Guided tours are organized here.
»  There used to be a cemetery. Then Lang Park was built. After reconstruction, the place is occupied by a modern world-class stadium.
»  The area near the sports ground was originally inhabited by Europeans. Staff rooms can be accessed by media representatives and distinguished guests having special passes.

» 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.