The largest city in Australia is Sydney which has a population of 3,240,000. and is without sunshine for only 23 days of the year. It is one of the most well known cities around the world because of the breathtaking Sydney Opera House with its spectacular million white tiles glinting in the sun and surrounded by the blue of the harbour. The Opera House is regarded as a stunning masterpiece and one of the great buildings of the 20th century. A guided tour of the building and its theatres is highly recommended.
The evolution of the Sydney Opera House began in 1948 with a proposal developed by Eugene Goossens, the resident conductor of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. Goossens persuaded the NSW State Government to construct a major performing arts centre for the city, which would include a concert hall for the orchestra and home for the opera company. In 1956, the State Government announced an international competition for the design and construction of a ‘National Opera House’ to be built on Bennelong Point, which was named after an Aboriginal man who had lived there in the 1790s and was said to hold concerts on the site for both his people and colonists. The competition attracted 233 entries from 32 countries and was won by Danish architect, Jorn Utzon. Utzon’s vision for the building, with its soaring ‘shells’ was aimed at making the most of the most superb site overlooking the harbour. Construction commenced in 1959, before the design for the shells and their supports had been finally resolved. The search for an effective structural solution for the shells lasted for a further two years. Various concepts were tested before Utzon, developed the ‘spherical solution’ in 1961. His idea was to create the shells from segments of the same sphere. After nine years, a change of government and an escalating budget, Utzon left the project and returned to Europe. His departure meant he did not get the opportunity to realise his designs for the performing spaces in the structure. After 14 years of construction, and a cost of $102 million, the building was officially opened by Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, on October 20th 1973.
The Opera House has five venues, the Concert Hall which is the largest venue and home to the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. Accommodating 2679 patrons, the hall was constructed specifically to complement orchestral and choral performance. The Opera Theatre seats 1547 and is the Sydney home of Opera Australia, The Australian Ballet and the Sydney Dance Company. The Drama Theatre holds 544 theatergoers and is a performing venue for the Sydney Theatre Company thoughout the year. The Playhouse accommodates 398 and is used for small cast plays, and for other performances, lectures and seminars. The Studio is our energetic, contemporary performance space, seating approximately 300 people ‘in the round; for contemporary music and performance.
Another well known landmark of Sydney is The Sydney Harbour Bridge. The harbour bridge opened in 1932, was designed by the engineer John Bradfield and is the second longest single span bridge in the world. (New York’s Bayonne Bridge wins by a matter of centimeters. It broad deck is 134 metres above water and carries eight lanes for traffic, a double-track railway, a cycle lane and a pedestrian walkway offering stunning views. The south-eastern Pylon Lookout contains a museum featuring old photographs of this grand Sydney icon. It also offers magnificent harbour views from its viewing platform. The more adventurous can join a guided three-hour climb to the very top of the bridge. A headset links you to your guide and you wear a safety harness.
The 305 metre high AMP Tower is the city’s tallest building and most prominent landmark. It is the ideal place to begin your visit to Sydney. From the newly refurbished Observation Deck, you’ll experience unparalleled views of one of the most beautiful cities in the world. The construction of Centrepoint began late 1970 with the first 52 shops opening in 1972. The office component was completed in 1974 and the final stage of the complex, the AMP Tower, was finished in August 1981. Ranked as one of the safest buildings in the world, the design has made the Tower capable of withstanding earthquakes and extreme wind conditions. This included 56 cables to stablise the Tower, and if the strands of these cables were laid end to end, they would reach from Sydney to Alice Springs. The turret has a maximum capacity of 960 persons, contains 2 levels of restaurants, a coffee lounges/function room, an Observation Deck, 2 telecommunication transmission levels and 3 plant levels. There are also 1504 stairs that is constantly monitored by security and 420 windows, which are cleaned by a semi-automatic window cleaner. It also has 162,000 litre water tank which is the Tower’s primary dampening system and one million dollars worth of fire protection equipment.
The Rocks and Circular Quay The Rocks and Circular Quay was Sydney's first European settlement with winding streets and sandstone buildings, provides an intact and almost chronological overview of Sydney in the 19th century. Once the poorest area of Sydney it has now been restored to its original state with cobbled streets, gas lamps, craft shops and tiny restaurants. Also here is one of Sydney's oldest building, Cadman's Cottage, which was built in 1816.
In 1912 the construction of the Taronga Zoological Park was started. The total area that it was being built on was 80 acres of natural rock strewn land and promised to be the most picturesque zoo in the world. The zoo overlooks Port Jackson and Sydney Bay. The name "Taronga" is a variant of an Aboriginal word meaning "water view".
Sydney Harbour Bridge Sydney's Circular Quay
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