Page 395 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Australia

MELBOURNE  393

was added in 1902. A statue
of Father Time, originally on
the Bourke Street façade, is
now located inside the arcade
at the northern end.
The arcade’s most famous
inhabitants are statues of
Gog and Magog, mythical
representations of the conflict
between the ancient Britons
and the Trojans. They are
modelled on identical figures
in the Guildhall in the City of
London. Between them is
Gaunt’s Clock, crafted by an
original tenant of the arcade,
Thomas Gaunt. Chapel of Ascension in St Paul’s Cathedral
wMelbourne eSt Paul’s
qBlock Arcade
Town Hall Cathedral
282 Collins St. Map 1 C3. Tel (03) 9654
5244. £ Flinders St. v Swanston & Swanston St. Map 1 C3. Tel (03) 9658 Cnr Swanston & Flinders sts. Map 2 D3.
Collins sts routes. Open 7:30am– 9658. £ Flinders St. v Swanston & Tel (03) 9653 4333. £ Flinders St.
5:30pm daily. Closed Good Fri, 25 Dec. Collins sts routes. Open 9am–6pm v Swanston, Flinders & Collins sts
7 8 Tue & Thu, booking essential. Mon–Fri, 9am–5pm Sat–Sun (ground routes. Open 8am–6pm Mon–Fri,
level foyer only). Closed public hols. 9am–4pm Sat, 7:30am–7:30pm Sun.
7 8 11am & 1pm daily, obligatory 7 8
Built between 1891 and 1893, for areas other than ground level foyer.
with period details including St Paul’s Cathedral was built by
a mosaic floor and a central Melbourne Town Hall was the Anglican Church in 1866 to
dome, Melbourne’s most completed in 1870, designed replace a far smaller church of
opulent arcade was named by Joseph Reed’s company, the same name on the site.
after the promenade taken by Reed & Barnes. The portico Construction, however, was
fashionable society in the 1890s. was added in 1887. plagued by difficulties, with
Known as “doing the block”, the An adjacent adminis­ dissension between the
walk involved strolling down tration block and the English architect,
Collins Street between Elizabeth council’s second William Butterfield,
and Swanston streets. chamber were and the Cathedral
The arcade was restored added in 1908. Erection Board.
in 1988. It still includes the This chamber Building began in
Hopetoun Tea­rooms, which combines a Renais­ 1880, but Butterfield
have been in place since the sance­style interior Stained glass in tendered his resig­
structure was opened. Guided with uniquely Austra­ Melbourne Town Hall nation in 1884. The final
tours of the arcade are available. lian motifs, such as a stages of construction
ceiling plasterwork of were supervised by the archi­
gum nuts. tect Joseph Reed, who also
A fire in 1925 destroyed designed many of the fittings.
much of the building’s interior, The cathedral was eventually
including the main hall which consecrated in 1891.
had to be rebuilt. The entrance There are many outstanding
to the building shows four internal features, including the
motifs on the young city’s reredos (altar screen) made in
coat of arms: a whale, a ship, Italy from marble and alabaster
a bull and a sheep, signifying inset with glass mosaics. The
the main colonial industries. organ, made by T C Lewis & Co.
In 1942, the College of Arms of London, is the best surviving
ordered an inversion of the work of this great organ­builder.
motifs according to heraldic The cathedral also has a peal
convention. This explains the of 13 bells – a rarity outside
discrepancy between earlier the British Isles.
and later coats of arms. The cathedral underwent a
The main hall frequently five­year restoration, completed
hosts public events and in 2009, including the cleaning
features an impressive three­ and upgrading of the spectac­
Block Arcade façade storey­high pipe organ. ular stained­glass windows.