Sydney Tower Sydney Tower is the tallest building in the city. It can be said without exaggeration that it is visible from any area, and it has become a real symbol of Sydney.

The height of the tower is 305 meters and in terms of this parameter in Australia it is second only to the Q1 skyscraper in Queensland. Sydney Tower has two observation decks at an altitude of 250 and 268 meters, 3 high-speed elevators, a revolving restaurant, and a cinema.

Construction of Sydney Tower began in 1975 and was designed five years earlier by architect Donald Krohn. The tower was commissioned in 1981. In total, AU$ 36 billion was spent on implementing this project. On holidays, the tower sparkles with colorful lights; it is often used to launch fireworks.

The first observation deck allows you to see Sydney in all its splendor. It offers a breathtaking view with a 360-degree view. The endless turquoise expanse of the ocean, numerous yachts and ships moored in the bay, majestic skyscrapers, the Blue Mountains barely visible in the distance - such a panorama evokes genuine admiration, and photographs will help preserve this amazingly beautiful landscape in your memory. There is also a board with information about wind speed and direction, and atmospheric pressure. The second area is open. It is located only 18 meters higher. It differs from the first one because it has a glass, absolutely transparent floor, so not everyone will dare to go there. It is visited as part of an excursion program. You can go upstairs by elevator or perform a heroic act by climbing 1054 steps. Buying a ticket allows you to stay here for an hour, admire the panorama of Sydney, and get an incredible experience. The Sydney Tower restaurant, with a capacity of 220 people, welcomes more than 185 thousand guests a year.

Despite its name, Sydney Tower is not associated with television. It was originally intended for telecommunications, owned by the AMP corporation and called “AMP Tower”. At the end of 2001, the tower came under the ownership of the Westfield Group and became known as Sydney Tower. This attraction will be of interest not only to guests of the country, but also to the Australians themselves.

Sydney Tower and Skywalk

Have you been to this place and blogged about it?

Blogs

Sydney: view from above

Sydney Tower is the tallest building in the city. Panoramic views from the observation deck on the tower are one of the most memorable experiences in Sydney.

etceterini , 23 Aug 2012, 00:35

Sydney

The main attraction is the Sydney Opera House. It was opened in 1973 and recognized as one of the outstanding buildings of modern architecture. Also famous is the Harbor Bridge, one of the largest steel arch bridges in the world. It is older than the Opera and was opened in 1932.

maloletko, 8 Mar 2012, 13:35

Sydney Tower

Today there was a climb to the Sydney Tower. It is approximately 400 meters high (while the Harbor Bridge, which I climbed earlier, is “only” 134 meters high. At the entrance, I even had to go through a metal detector. At the top there is a closed circular observation deck.

akuloboy , 8 Mar 2011, 06:22

Sydney Tower

Sydney Tower (AMP Tower or Centrepoint Tower) is the second tallest building in Australia, after Q1. Sydney Tower has the highest observation deck in the Southern Hemisphere at 268 meters. The height of the entire television tower is 305 meters.

australia-best , 19 Feb 2010, 11:39

Sydney - IV

We continue our walks around Sydney. One of the mandatory points of the program in any city in the world should be climbing to the highest point and viewing it from there. You will laugh, I never visited Ostankino in Moscow.

raevskaya-o, 22 Oct 2009, 05:36

My long holiday

Well, here I am with a bunch of vacation photos. Sydney greeted us with not very hospitable weather, the view from the hotel window seemed threatening: but we still dared to go outside and even took a ferry ride to Manly.

Like a flower reaching for the sun, man raises his structures, striving to comprehend the heavenly expanses. In the global race to become the “best”, solutions are being improved and opportunities are evolving. Cities are growing at an incredible rate, and not just in breadth.

Planning, construction principles and, of course, materials are being improved. The construction of huge buildings no longer requires thickening of the walls, which means it gives greater freedom to the architect, allowing him to create giants unimaginable by physical laws. This leads to the fact that the peaks soaring above the city no longer surprise anyone. And yet, there are those that you want to talk about and that you want to see.

Tallest skyscrapers in the world

Recently, there has been a tendency to move the construction of high-format structures from the West and Europe to China, the United Arab Emirates and Japan. The most interesting representatives of heavenly houses are the 818-meter building "Burj Dubai" in Dubai, the tower with rapid elevators "Taipei 101" in Taiwan, the tallest Chinese building "Shanghai World Financial Center" and two twins "PETRONAS Twins Towers", connected by the first in world air bridge, in Malaysia.

Australia can also be proud of its architectural achievements. Among the tallest buildings in the Southland are the Sydney Tower, the Eureka Tower, and the country's tallest building, the Q1 Tower, or Queensland number one.

The tallest skyscraper. Australia

The latter calls big interest, as a landmark and as an architectural monument of the Sydney Olympics. Let's take a closer look at this amazing skyscraper.

"Q1 Tower" - the tallest skyscraper in the Southland

The tallest building in Australia is considered to be a skyscraper with the symbolic name “Queensland Number 1”. At its champion height, Q1 Tower embodies the ideas of Olympic glory. The sporting response is reflected both in the architectural form of the building, in the form of the Sydney Olympic torch, and in the name, because Q1 is the name of the Australian rowing team at the 1920 Olympics.

A torch directed towards the sky is located in the tourist city of Gold Coast. This is a large center that is often compared to the pearl of the UAE, Dubai. The Gold Coast, like the center of the Emirates, is famous for the large influx of guests from different parts of the world. Also, the main source of income here is services and tourism. But the main similarity between these cities is in the architecture, which successfully conquers the skies. The Australian equivalent of Dubai is famous for its high-rise buildings. There are really a lot of them here, but Queensland is the highest.

What's surprising is that Q1 Tower is a residential building. Before the opening of Marina Torch in the Emirates, Queensland No. 1 was considered the tallest permanent residence building in the world. Its height with a spire is 245 meters and includes 78 floors and 526 apartments.

Construction of the skyscraper began in 2002 according to the architectural design of SDG & The Buchan Group. The work was carried out for three years, and on the opening day in 2005, Q1 was the champion in height, overtaking the high-rise buildings of Dubai.

"Q1 Tower" was recognized not only for its impressive growth, but also for its ingenious execution. The Emporis Skyscraper Award awarded Queensland the Silver Award for Best Project.

The architectural design of the torch is based on 26 piles driven to a depth of 40 meters, they reach a solid rocky soil, penetrating 4 meters into it.

Q1 Tower - the largest residential building in Australia

The skyscraper has 1, 2 and 3-room apartments, as well as a luxurious penthouse with a swimming pool on the 74th floor. People living on the top floors get to their apartment in less than a minute, thanks to lightning-fast elevators, of which there are 10. In addition to fast travel, Queensland delights residents with a theatre, spa center, sports complex and observation deck. The latter is located on the 77-78 floor, where there is also a cinema hall and a restaurant. The roof of the building attracted parachuting athletes as the highest jumping platform.

The champion spirit of the building also captured its upper structure - the spire. The antenna is 97.7 meters long and is the longest antenna structure in the world.

"Q1 Tower" - the most sporty skyscraper in the world

Sleek, elegant and majestic, the Q1 Tower is a symbol of the Gold Coast, and it is no coincidence that the building was opened on its 150th anniversary. In addition, it is also the main attraction of the entire state of Queensland and its pride. It carries the ideas of championship and leadership. Cutting through the clouds and adjacent to the ocean, this skyscraper does not fade against the backdrop of natural majesty, but proudly and monumentally rises above the city, singing a song of courage and perseverance.

Australia's largest metropolis, a city of numerous attractions.
-- the capital of the state of New South Wales, the business center of the country, its financial capital. The bulk of the state's manufacturing industry is concentrated here, one of the most popular places in the world, where tourists from different countries flock.

This is not the capital of Australia, as many people think, but, nevertheless, it is the oldest and largest metropolis, rightfully considered the pearl of the continent. This is a city of architectural contrasts, where modern skyscrapers of business centers coexist with ancient buildings in the Mediterranean style. It is a city of gardens and parks, lively beaches and numerous attractions. This is a city that claims to be the "capital of emigrants", in Sydney Representatives of almost all nationalities of the world live here.

Main attraction Sydney- the symbol of the city is the Opera House, a unique architectural structure of the opera house. IN Sydney Australia's tallest buildings are located - the Sydney Tower and the headquarters of the country's largest insurance company, as well as the grand bridge Harbor Bridge, offering stunning views of the city. It is home to the world's largest zoo and aquarium with a rich collection of sharks, the Royal Botanic Gardens and the unique Blue Mountains Wildlife Sanctuary. An evening cruise along Sydney Harbor with millions of lights reflecting in the dark waters of the bay leaves an unforgettable impression.

offers a huge number of excursions and entertainment for every taste, there is everything here - the noisy fun of a big city and unity with wild nature, and magnificent beach holiday. No city in the world can compare with Sydney by the number of beaches scattered around its surroundings.

Dinner at the Central Point Tower restaurant at 325m will provide a wonderful opportunity to see the evening lights.

If you come to meet New Year, you will see magical fireworks over Sydney Harbor, which last years became the national pride of Australians. Millions of dollars are spent annually on its implementation.

Since it was the first European settlement on the continent, the history of its foundation is the beginning of the history of the country. The city was founded by Arthur Philip and the First Fleet as a colony of exiled convicts in 1788.

In just over two centuries, a wonderful city grew on the site of the first settlements. With its originality, beauty, level of comfort and hospitality, it won the honorable right to become the capital of the 2000 Summer Olympics.

Sights of Sydney

Darling Harbor ( Darling Harbor) – inner bay of Central Sydney, the main tourist center. The festive atmosphere of Darling Harbor with its shops, cafes, restaurants, museums, festivals, parks and fountains always creates a feeling of a real carefree holiday. Here are the Australian National Maritime Museum, the famous Sydney Aquarium, the Chinese Garden, the Central Exhibition Hall, where the largest international exhibitions are held, the Casino, and the ancient Pyrmont Bridge. Darling Harbor is the stop of the Sydney Monorail, which runs around the City at first floor level.

Rocks District ( The Rocks) – Rocks in translation means rocks. This is the oldest area of ​​Sydney, where the first houses, shops, warehouses, and pubs are still preserved. Now this is one of the most popular areas of Sydney, a place of pilgrimage for tourists - there are museums, restaurants, cozy cafes, and galleries. On weekends there is a market in the Rocks area. It is very pleasant to wander here on foot.

Söküla Ki Central Pier ( Circular Quay) – Central pier of Sydney Harbour. It was here that the settlers who arrived with the First Fleet landed. The first official buildings have been preserved here - a court, a customs house. The customs building now houses restaurants and an exhibition center where interesting exhibitions are held. Ferries and sea trams operate from Circular Quay to all areas of Sydney.

Sydney Opera House ( Opera House) - a symbol not only of Sydney, but of the whole of Australia. It occupies one of the first places in modern architecture. Built according to the design of the Danish architect Utson, completed in 1973 by a team of Australian architects. It accommodates 900 rooms, including the Concert Hall, Opera House, Drama and Chamber Theatres, four restaurants and a Reception Hall. The roof of the building, built in the shape of four shells, is covered with more than a million tiles, which create a variety of colors in different lighting conditions.

The Opera House offers a daily cultural program, but we recommend that those wishing to attend opera performances book tickets in advance, since it is usually impossible to buy tickets several days before the performance. In addition, opera performances are not held daily and are seasonal.

Sydney Bridge ( Sydney Harbor Bridge) - opened in 1932 and by the time construction was completed it cost AUD 20 million. Today, motorists heading into southern Sydney pay a $3 toll to cover the cost of maintaining the bridge. The bridge pylon closest to the Opera House is open to the public. The observation deck offers a 360-degree panorama of Sydney and is a convenient place for photo and video filming.

Hyde Park ( Hyde Park) - a green island in the very center of Sydney, founded by order of Governor Macquarie. On one side is St. Mary's Cathedral, on the other - the City and Sydney Tower. In the center is one of the most beautiful fountains in the city, a little further away is the monument to Captain James Cook and the War Memorial in honor of those who fought and died in the wars. Across the road is the Australian Museum.

Royal Botanic Garden ( The Royal Botanic Gardens ) is an oasis among skyscrapers and city bustle, a great place for walks among exotic trees and flowers. There is also Madam Macquarie's Chair carved into the rocks, which offers a wonderful view of the Opera and the Bridge. One of the attractions of the Garden is a large colony flying foxes. These are nocturnal animals - during the day they sleep and can be seen in whole flocks hanging upside down.

Queen Victoria Building ( The Queen Victoria building) - a beautiful architectural monument and at the same time one of the busiest shopping centers in the city with boutiques and branded stores. Chinatown - located in the southern part of Sydney around Dixon Street. This is the center Chinese culture, restaurants and shops.

King's Cross ( Kings Cross) - Red light district. This is the only place in Sydney where prostitution is legal. However, unlike other cities where such areas exist, Kings Cross is an absolutely fantastic mixture of seemingly polar and incompatible social groups living side by side. Restaurants with gourmet food stand side by side with cheap cafes. There are also galleries and two very interesting small theaters.

Paddington ( Paddington) - an area of ​​the bohemian public, where entire blocks are occupied by galleries, fashionable youth clothing stores, libraries, cinemas, fashionable cafes and restaurants. There are many beaches in Sydney; the most famous and largest is Bondi Beach. Nearby along the coast there are smaller beaches: Tamarama, Coogee, Maroubra. The beaches in the Sydney resort area of ​​Manly and Palm Beach in northern Sydney are also very popular.

Olympic Village at Homebush ( The Olympic Site in Homebush Bay) – a sports complex that was built for the 2000 Olympic Games.

IMAX – a cinema with a huge screen where films are shown with stereophonic and surround effects, located in Darling Harbour.

Wonderland Sydney (Wonderland) - an entertainment amusement park located in the suburbs of Sydney.

Sydney Harbor Cruise - one of the most popular entertainments. It's also a great way to see the city skyline from the water. You can go on this small but exciting journey in the morning or afternoon, have lunch on board or have dinner while admiring the views of the evening city.

National Cultural Center Aboriginal – We recommend it to those who want to get acquainted with the ancient culture of the Australian aborigines.

Entertainment Center with casino ( Sydney Harbor Casino) located in Darling Harbor next to Pyrmont Bridge.

There are cities you want to return to again and again. Sydney is one of them. I have been there more than once, but every time this city inspires and enchants.
The eternal competition for superiority between Sydney and Melbourne (I wrote about this) takes place with varying success, but regularly both cities are recognized as one of the most convenient for living. Melbourne, of course, is very good, but in my personal rating Sydney still wins.

Today we will take a walk through the center of Sydney (in Australia, the business center of the city is called CBD - Central Business Distrcit) - from Circular Quay to Darling Harbour. Other delights of the city - the Sydney Bridge, the famous Opera House, a ferry ride across the bay, views from the Sydney Tower - await us in the next episodes.

Today's points of interest on the Sydney city center map (1):

Circular Key

The view of Circular Quay from Port Jackson Bay is one of the “calling cards” of Sydney, along with the Opera and the Sydney Bridge. Ferries depart from the waterfront piers to different parts of the city, and behind them rise the skyscrapers of the CBD.

The silhouette of the embankment is created (from right to left): Gateway Plaza (black skyscraper on the right, 164 meters, 46 floors), AMP Center tower (188 m, 45 floors). Behind the AMP tower is the Governor Phillip Tower (227 m, 54 floors). To the left of the AMP Center is a building with two flags on the roof - AMP Building (115 m, 26 floors). This skyscraper, built in 1962, was the first high-rise building after the city allowed the construction of buildings taller than 50 meters. Behind the AMP Building is the Intercontinental Hotel (100 m, 30 floors). Finally, the lone high-rise building on the left is Key Apartments (95 meters, 25 floors). (2)

On the embankment. (3)

Circular Quay was once a port area. A reminder of this is the old customs building (Custom House). Nowadays the city library is located here. (4)

The Museum of Modern Art is located by the water. (5)

From Circular Quay you can take a speedboat tour of the bay. (6)

There are pompous buildings in the CBD victorian era they coexist peacefully with modern skyscrapers, the coolness of Protestant cathedrals and the canopy of parks with the bustle of the streets, and the ever-hurrying white-collar workers with idly wandering tourists.

Let's delve into the labyrinth of CBD streets starting from Circular Quay. However, in relation to Sydney, “labyrinths of streets” is an unjustified cliche. The layout of the center of Sydney, set by Darling Harbor on the west and the parkland on the east, is quite correct - a dozen main streets run strictly from north to south, and the same number intersect them in a perpendicular direction.

Once in the CBD, you find yourself on narrow streets shaded by skyscrapers. However, the vastness of high-rise buildings does not overwhelm - the lower tier of the urban environment with numerous cafes, restaurants, and public institutions is quite friendly.

One of the “vertical” streets of CDB is Phillip Street. On the right is the Sydney Museum, on the left is the Aurora Place Tower, a 41-story Art Nouveau skyscraper 188 meters high. (7)

The Museum of Sydney stands on the site of Australia's first government building, built in 1878. The museum is located at the base of the Governor Phillip Tower, named after the first governor of New South Wales, Arthur Phillip. (8)

Let's continue our acquaintance with the CBD skyscrapers lining Phillip Street. This is Chifley Tower (216 meters, 53 floors). (9)

The next building is Deutsche Bank (160 meters, 39 floors). The characteristic spire of this structure (and with it the height of the building is 240 meters) is easily recognizable in any panorama of the city. (10)

The tallest building in the city is Sydney Tower. This 309-meter tower is visible from anywhere in the city. There is an observation deck on the tower, which we will climb to in one of the following episodes. On the lower floors of the tower is the Westfield shopping center. The sandy building in the frame is the David Jones department store. (eleven)

The CBD does not live solely on skyscrapers - in the center of Sydney there are many pedestrian areas, malls and arcades. Pedestrian shopping area on Pitt Street. (12)

Classic buildings with establishments founded, like this pharmacy, back in the 19th century have been preserved here. (13)

Sydney's oldest shopping arcade is The Strand. (14-16)

Diverse crowd on Pitt Street. (17-19)

Sydney Square and Queen Victoria Building

The central point of the CBD is the square in front of the city hall (Sydney Square) at the intersection of George Street and Druitt Street.

The Sydney City Hall (Townhall) with its tall clock tower looks quite organic against the backdrop of skyscrapers. On the flagpoles are the Australian flag and the Aboriginal banner. (20)

Near the municipality is St Andrew's Cathedral, the oldest cathedral in Australia. (21)

Skyscrapers Sydney Square. On the left is Energy Ostrelia (99 meters, 28 floors). Behind it is HSBC Center (151 m, 37 floors). On the right is the Lumiere residential building (151 m, 47 floors). (22)

George Street is the longest and busiest street in the CBD, running north to south from Central Station to Sydney Bridge. An entire block along George Street is occupied by the Quinn Victoria Building (CVB), a building erected in 1898 as a fruit market. Now there are many shops and restaurants located here. (23)

Monument to Queen Victoria in front of the KVB (24)

KVB should be visited even if shopping does not interest you - the architecture and interiors of the building are impressive. (25-26)

One of the decorations of KVB is the Royal Clock (27)

Another impressive hanging clock, the Great Australian Clock depicts scenes of the colonization of the continent: (28)

Aborigines before the arrival of the whites. (29)

Captain Cook's landing in 1770. (thirty)

Whites take Aboriginal children. (31)

Hyde Park and Domain

Sydney is a very green city. To the east of the CBD there is a vast park area - Hyde Park, Domain Park and the Botanical Garden.

Two blocks from Sydney Square is Hyde Park, with the ANZAC Memorial at the southern end and St Mary's Cathedral at the northern end. The compositional center of Hyde Park is the Archibald Fountain against the backdrop of St. Mary's Cathedral and Sydney Tower. (32-33)

St. Mary's Cathedral is one of the largest Catholic churches in Australia, architecturally more interesting than St. Andrew's Cathedral. (34)

The ANZAC Memorial is dedicated to the Australian-New Zealand Allied Corps, which fought in the First world war in Europe and suffered huge losses. There are monuments to ANZAC and the victims of the First World War in almost every city in Australia. (35)

The alleys and lawns of Hyde Park are a convenient place for people-watching. (36-40)

Hyde Park is adjacent to Domain Park. Football and rugby are played on the huge lawns of the park, runners and joggers scurry along the alleys, and all this is against the backdrop of a panorama of CBD high-rises. From left to right - Sydney Tower, the multifaceted tower of the MLC insurance company (228 m, 60 floors), Westpac Bank with a red beech W on the facade (119 m, 30 floors) and the already familiar Deutsche Bank and Chifley Tower. (41)

Art Gallery of NSW in Domain Park. (42-43)

View of Woolloomooloo, an upscale bohemian residential area east of Domain Hill. We will also visit Woolloomooloo in one of the following episodes. (44)

Darling Harbor

To the west of the CBD, around the bay of the same name, Darling Harbor is a recreation and entertainment area. The Sydney Aquarium, a maritime museum, a convention center, a casino are located here, and various concerts and festivals are held. Sydney residents with their entire families and groups of visiting tourists come here to relax and have fun.
The modern appearance of the area is determined by the development of the mid-80s - 90s, and Darling Harbor gained particular popularity after a ring monorail was opened in 1988, the year of Australia’s 200th anniversary, connecting it with the CBD and neighboring Haymarket.

The western shore of Darling Harbor is linked to the CBD by the Pyrmont Bridge pedestrian bridge. There is a monorail over the bridge. (45-46)

At the eastern end of the bridge is the Darling Park monorail station... (47-48)

...and on the western side is Harborside station. (49)

Sydney Aquarium with CBD in the background. (50)

On the other side of the bay is the maritime museum. (51)

One of the museum exhibits. (52)

The lighthouse is also part of the exhibition. (53)

Australian flag over Darling Harbour. In the background are exhibits of the Maritime Museum: the destroyer Vampire and the submarine Onslow. (54)

CBD panorama - view from the western part of Darling Harbour. The white building in the center is the Four Points Hotel. To the right are the three Darling Park towers, occupied by Commonwealth, PWC and Rabobank banks. (55)

Darling Park Towers and Maritime Museum. (56)

King Street Wharf and several other small high-rises (from left to right) - AON Tower (128 m, 35 floors), Veritas Tower (95 m, 32 floors) and Westpac Towers (166 m, 40 floors). (57)

The bay is busy with cruise and scheduled ferries. (58)

If desired, you can use a water taxi. (59)

Pyrmont Bridge - view from the maritime museum. (60)

The Sydney Convention Center is located on the shores of Darling Harbor. (61)

The spiraling fountain in front of the convention center adds a little coolness. (62)

The Darling Harbor waterfront is one of the favorite vacation spots for Sydney residents. (63-64)

Highmarket and Chinatown

Adjacent to Darling Harbor to the south is the Highmarket area. There are markets, hotels, Central station Sydney and Chinatown - Chinatown.

Highmarket monorail station. (65)

The main attraction of the area is the huge indoor Market City market. (66)

Signs with Chinese characters indicate that we are in Chinatown. (67)

A gate is a must for Chinatown in any city in the world. (68)

That's probably enough for today.

Sydney icons - Sydney Bridge and Opera House
- Ferry ride on Port Jackson Bay
- The Rocks, Darlinghurst and Woolloomooloo
- Sydney: top view

PS. Which photo format suits you best?

Starting with this post, I decided to switch to photographs of a slightly larger format - 1000x666 pixels. I used to use 900x600 format for blog posts.

Unfortunately, I can’t do a poll about this (I have a regular account, not a paid one), so if photo size is important to you, answer in the comments what resolution you prefer.

1000 x 667
- More than 1000 x 667
- 900 x 600
- Less than 900 x 600

The history of the settlement of Sydney began at least twenty thousand years ago. The first inhabitants of its lands were Australian aborigines, whose ancestors, according to one version, moved to Australia from Indonesia by boat. Gradually, about 250 peoples formed on the smallest continent of the planet.
But the quiet life of the aborigines of the future Sydney was threatened when, in 1770, the Endeavor, the expedition ship of the English navigator and explorer James Cook (1728-1779), sailed along the east coast of Australia. The travelers made a stop at Botany Bay, eight kilometers from modern Sydney.
In 1787 alone, eleven British ships set sail for the shores of Australia. They were transporting prisoners - more than seven hundred women and men - to the new British colony to work on construction sites. They landed not in Botany Bay, but in Port Jackson Bay, the coast of which was considered more suitable for life. These territories were named. And on January 26, 1788, the British flag was raised over the Sydney lands, and this day is now celebrated as Australia Day.
Construction of Sydney was difficult. Attempts to develop Agriculture ended in failure, and supplies of provisions from Great Britain were irregular. Every day it was more and more difficult for the indigenous people of Australia: although the settlers were peaceful towards them, diseases brought by Europeans claimed thousands of lives: by the beginning of the 19th century. only 10% of indigenous Australians remain.
Power in Australia actually belonged entirely to the officers who kept order in the colony: most of the settlers had a criminal background. In particular, the military enjoyed a monopoly on the rum trade, and sometimes replaced it with cash payments to workers.
On January 26, the anniversary of the founding of New South Wales, an officer riot broke out in the settlement due to the ban on “rum wages.” The uprising ended with the removal of the governor and reshuffles among the leadership of the “rum” corps.
Sydney's growth peaked in the mid-19th century. - the time of the “gold rush”: in 1851, a gold deposit was discovered 150 km from the city in the Bathurst region. Hundreds of enthusiasts began to come to Sydney in search of untold riches, which accelerated the construction of infrastructure and residential areas. But less than ten years had passed before the center of gold miners moved to Melbourne, but Sydney continued to be built up and by the end of the century was among the contenders for the title of capital of the Commonwealth of Australia.
Sydney became the capital in 1901, but for the state of New South Wales, and not for Australia as a whole.
However, the successful start of the new century was preceded by a whole series of events that undermined the strength of the young state: the First World War of 1914-1918, the Great Depression of the 1930s, and the Second World War of 1939-1945. Only in the second half of the 20th century. Sydney's population began to grow and the city began to grow into a metropolis.

Australia's largest city

Although Sydney never became the official capital of the Commonwealth of Australia (in 1908 the decision was made in favor of Canberra), it is called the main city of the country. While Canberra serves as Australia's capital, Sydney is a strong leader in the Australian economy. About 25% of the entire country’s economy is concentrated in this city: about 500 regional offices of international companies are located here. Large Australian firms and offices of international corporations are based here, and the Australian Stock Exchange is also located here. valuable papers and the Reserve Bank of Australia. As well as the headquarters of 90 banks and more than half of the country's largest companies.
As soon as Sydney became a financial center, people began to come here in search of work from other areas of Australia and from abroad. Sydney residents now have the highest average per capita income in Australia, US$45,584 (2006). However, Sydney is also known as one of the most expensive Australian cities to live (now it ranks 66th on the list of the most expensive cities in the world, but back in 2004 the city was in 16th position).
With development, Sydney has changed a lot, not only from an economic and social point of view, but also from an architectural point of view. In the middle of the last century, many ancient low-rise buildings were replaced by modernist high-rise buildings. The symbol of the new life that Sydney was entering after the Second World War was the Australia Square Business Center skyscraper, built in 1967 and for ten years remaining the tallest building in the city (now this status is occupied by the Sydney TV Tower, the second tallest building in the city). buildings throughout the Southern Hemisphere of the Earth).
There are two places in Sydney that are rightfully considered the main attractions of the city. One of them is the famous opera house, located near Sydney harbor. It took fourteen years to erect this building. The Sydney Opera House is a complex structure, designed in an expressionist style and reminiscent of wind-blown sails or a handful of outlandish shells. The massive structure of the opera house is held in place by 580 piles extending 25 meters underwater.
Another source of pride for Sydney residents is the Harbor Bridge, which spans Port Jackson Bay. Its construction was completed in 1932, and it is considered one of the largest arch bridges in the world (its total length is 1149 m, and the length of the arched span reaches 503 m).
Given the level of development that characterizes all modern megacities, Sydney pays a lot of attention to landscaping and is considered a green city. There are public gardens adjacent to residential areas, and from the business center to Port Jackson Bay itself there is a strip of Hyde Park, smoothly turning into Domain Park and the Royal Botanical Gardens. The latter occupy an area of ​​30 hectares, and they contain rare species of plants, birds and animals. Among the inhabitants of the botanical gardens are foxes, opossums and parrots.

general information

Australia's largest city.
Founded: 1788
English language.
Ethnic composition: Australians - 23.6%; English - 19.7%; Irish - 6.3%; Chinese - 5.7%; Scots - 4.7%; Italians - 3.4%; Lebanese - 2.5%; Greeks - 2.1%; others - 32%.
Religion: Christianity.
Currency unit: Australian dollar.
Most important airport: international Airport

Numbers

Area: 12,144.6 km2.
Population: 4,504,469 people (2009).
Population density: 370.9 people/km 2 .

Climate and weather

Moderate.
Average January temperature:+22.2ºС.
Average temperature in July:+12.1ºС
Average annual precipitation: 1,222 mm.

Economy

Sydney accounts for 25% of Australia's economy.
The local economy is based on trade and banking (there are about 90 banks in the city).
Industry: food, chemical, electrical power.
Service sector: tourism, banking.

Attractions

■ Sydney Opera House (1973) - the calling card of the city;
■ Harbor Bridge (1932) - one of the largest arch bridges in the world;
■ Australia Square (1967) - a business center that for a long time remained the tallest building in the city;
■ Sydney TV Tower is the tallest building in the city, the second tallest in the Southern Hemisphere of the Earth;
■ Royal Botanic Gardens - founded in 1816;
■ Hyde Park;
■ District of Rocks - the historical district of the city;
■ Sydney Observatory (1858).

Curious facts

■ The famous arched Harbor Bridge because of its appearance received the funny nickname “Hanger” among Sydneysiders. Its arms are 503 m long, which is only 15 m shorter than the longest steel arch bridge, Fayetteville (518 m).
■ In 2000, the XXVII Summer Olympic Games were held in Sydney. The top three winners then included the USA, Russia and China, while Australia itself took fourth place in the ranking. Distinctive feature Summer Games in Sydney included the addition of sports such as taekwondo and trampoline to the program.
■ Snow in Sydney is extremely rare. The last snowfall occurred in 1836. Nevertheless, hail sometimes occurs in the city. One of the heaviest was recorded in 1999: the diameter of each piece of ice reached 9 cm.
■ On one of the outskirts of Sydney are the Blue Mountains, which are 50 km long. They got their name because of the bluish haze hanging above them, which is formed due to evaporating essential oils, highlighted by eucalyptus trees growing on the slopes of the Blue Mountains.
■ From the side, the roof of the Sydney Opera House appears monolithic design, but in reality it is covered with more than a million tiles. Thanks to the right choice tile laying technology, the resulting layer has a perfectly smooth surface.
■ Every summer, an exhibition “Sculpture by the Sea” is held on the sea coast. In total, about a hundred art projects of not only Australian, but also foreign participants are exhibited.