Royal Exhibition Building

Royal Exhibition Building
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The Royal Exhibition Building and Carlton Gardens were made a WHS to award "the global influence of the international exhibition movement".

The Royal Exhibition Building was designed by the architect Joseph Reed (who also designed the Melbourne Town Hall and the State Library of Victoria). It was completed in 1880, in preparation for the Melbourne International Exhibition. The building consisted of a Great Hall of over 12,000 square metres and many temporary annexes.

The Melbourne Centennial Exhibition was held at the Exhibition Building in 1888 to celebrate a century of European settlement in Australia.

Year Decision Comments
2004 Inscribed Reasons for inscription

Reviews

Charilaos Lithoxopoulos (Australia / Greece):
In a conversation with a person that was born after the The Royal Exhibition Buildings hosted the 1880 International Exhibition, I was told that much artefacts & large works of art were left on site when the exhibition was finished.

The "treasures" were so impressive that no one dared destroy or steal them. The person I spoke to, said that he found a way to visit the store rooms where they were kept in 1962. The most impresssive was the Chinese Lacquered timber house.

Many of the artefacts were beggining to show wear, as they have not been kept in appropriate conditions.

Some of the countries that exhibited, no longer exist. It is another good reason to salvage these items, and put them on show, piece by piece in the building itself.

The Royal Exhibition Buildings and gardens were surrounded with very ornate 2.44 metre high cast iron fences & gates, to keep people from the surrounding slum areas out at night. When inner Melbourne was no longer surrounded by desperately poor people the cast iron fences and gates were removed. I believe that was in 1962.

The remains of the very ornate cast iron fence is a heavy Basalt stone blocks that formed the base. Much deliberate damage was done to the stonework, but much of it can be restored.

I have for many years been trying to get people interested in restoring the stone work, but not many show an interest. I have been hoping that once the stone base has been restored, we can retrieve the cast iron fence and gates from a store room in the western suburbs of Melbourne and reinstall it. This would enhance the site greatly.

I would ask anyone with a few minutes of time, to email the Premier of the State of Victoria, and ask for the restoration to begin. There is strength in numbers.
Date posted: January 2010
Charilaos Lithoxopoulos (Australia / Greece):
What the picture does not show, next to this gem of 19th century hope, the stealing of park land and compromising the World Heritage building and its surrounds.
As some one wanted the land the museum was to be build on, they transferred the museum and carpark, a little Disneyland, a few metres away from the "Royal Exhibition Building". We hope the next generation will demolish this attack on the World Heritage building.
Date posted: October 2009
John Booth (New Zealand):
What a mixture of different architectural styles there are in this one building. A mixture of Romanesque, Renaissance and Byzantine.

I was told that from 1902 the building became Australia's Federal Parliament Building, until the new capital was built at Canberra. It is sometimes used for exhibitions again now.

The site includes the Carlton Gardens, which probably look great in spring, but in the winter they looked drab

It cost $5 to go in, and you can only see inside on a tour, at set times

The City Circle trams stop at the entrance to the garden
 
Emilia Bautista King (U.S.A.):
Finally, a WHS in Melbourne! Melbourne was home for 3 years and it will forever be a special place. I've walked through the Carlton Gardens many times and yes, the building is impressive. However, if you go to Melbourne, make sure you also go to the Queen Victoria Market (one of my favourite haunts). There are too many excellent restaurants to name! Oh, and also check out an Aussie Rules football match. It's a fun time!
Date posted: February 2006
Kang Chong (Malaysia):
This site is literally just a building. Visit Melbourne for its other non WHC sites. Melbourne is beautiful and the Exhibition is just one of its jewels. Do not forget, there is a good musuem just round the corner not too far away from the building.
Date posted: October 2005
Ren (Japan):
when traveling in Australia,i went there.but then not realizing them important as only preserved architecture of international exhibition,i only thought what a big building standing.returning to japan,i looked over history of expo.i want to see them once more,having an opportunity.
 


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