Sydney - Queen Victoria Building

The new high point of the shopping quarter, opposite the Hilton, is the Queen Victoria Building, now linked by underground shopping arcades with Town Hall Station. Originally built as a market hall between 1893 and 1898, the Queen Victoria Building is 200 m long 24.3 m across, with a 57.5 m high central dome surrounded by 20 smaller domes. After decades of neglect and even plans for demolition, this imposing sandstone building was restored to its original state in 1980-6 and occupied by 200 elegant shops open seven days a week - just in time for the celebrations of Sydney's 200th birthday. It is worth a visit, even if you don't want to do any shopping, as an example of successful restoration and for the sake of its beautiful stained glass windows and mosaic floors.