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This stunning museum occupies the site of Sydney’s first Government House, a prefabricated structure that was shipped over with the First Fleet in 1788. That structure was demolished in 1846, but some of its original footings are still visible through glass panels set into the floor. The museum places the history of white settlement against the Aboriginal custodianship of the land. The museum’s plaza features Edge of the Trees (see Edge of the Trees), an installation and soundscape which explores Aboriginal history and culture.

Martin Place runs from the General Post Office on George Street uphill to Macquarie Street. The 1891 GPO was designed by James Barnet (see Darlinghurst Court House & Old Darlinghurst Gaol) and built over the Tank Stream. Check out the amusing characters above the Pitt Street colonnade (see A Walk from Circular Quay to the QVB) and the grand 1912 Commonwealth Bank Head Office. The bank’s equally impressive 1928 sibling resides just up the hill. Opposite the GPO is the striking 1925 NeoClassical National Australia Bank, and the Cenotaph commemorating Australia’s war heroes.

One of the world’s largest Gothic Revival churches, the original 1833 structure of this cathedral was destroyed by a fire in 1865. Its replacement was designed by William Wardell and work began on it the same year. The twin spires, which featured in Wardell’s original plans, were only completed in 2000. The design of the magnificent terrazzo floor in the crypt is based on the Story of Creation and the Book of Kells ; it took 15 years to complete.

On a clear day, this 305-m (1,000-ft) icon offers gorgeous 360-degree views over the Sydney region, from the Heads (see North Head, South Head) to Botany Bay to the North Shore and the Blue Mountains. The turret has revolving restaurants, a coffee shop and an observation deck. Above this is a 162,000-litre (35,500-gallon) water tank that acts as a stabilizer on windy days. The tower’s latest attraction is Skywalk, an exciting 75-minute guided walk around the roof offering an incredible panoramic view of Sydney.

View of the harbour from Sydney Tower

Although Melbournians will disagree, this may be Australia’s most impressive Victorian-era glass-roofed shopping arcade. Designed by John Spencer and opened in 1892, this quiet and elegant arcade (see Strand Arcade) is home to boutiques, jewellers, tailors, coffee shops and groovy home-ware stores such as Funkis and Dinosaur Designs. Pressed-metal stairs and quaint lifts service the three levels. After browsing the arcade, take a seat at the small tables on the western end of the upper levels, and enjoy a cup of tea overlooking the shoppers below.

Originally a cinema with over-the-top Gothic, Baroque and Art Deco elements, this 1929 National Trust-classified “Palace of Dreams” was designed by Henry White, who also worked on the Capitol Theatre. Sweeping staircases embrace its lavish Grand Assembly foyer, and the massive 20,000-piece Koh-iNor chandelier dominates the 2,000-seat auditorium. Since 1974, this theatre has been the premier venue for the Sydney Film Festival. During the year it presents live acts and musical performances, which have included Bette Midler and kd lang, among others.

Mirrored in Hyde Park’s Pool of Reflection is this 1934 Art Deco monument built to commemorate Australia’s WWI dead (see Troops Set Sail). It now records the sacrifices made by thousands of Australians in subsequent conflicts. The Hall of Memory is on the upper level, overlooking Raynor Hoff’s moving statue, and the Hall of Silence is on the ground floor. A small museum on the ground floor features photographs and artifacts.

The four-storey Romanesque QVB (see Queen Victoria Building) staggers visitors with its beautiful tiled floors, elegant staircases, stained glass, barrel-vaulted glass ceiling and copper domed roof. Built on the site of the old Sydney markets, this landmark was designed by George McRae and opened to applause in 1898. The shopping plaza was imaginatively restored in the 1980s.

John Henry Wilson originally designed Sydney’s civic headquarters in 1868. The front steps of this Victorian building, with its 1884 clock tower, elegant 1877 vestibule and grand 1889 Centennial Hall, have been a favourite meeting place for Sydneysiders since the original porte cochère facing George Street was removed in 1934.

Australia’s oldest Gothic Revival cathedral was designed in 1868 by Edmund Blaket, who also designed St Stephen’s (see Camperdown Cemetery). It contains many memorials to Sydney pioneers, such as the 19th-century merchant-prince Thomas Mort, a major figure in the history of Sydney’s harbour.