Sydney travel – Some landmarks
The The Rocks and Sydney Observatory provide wonderful vantage point to see some of Sydney’s iconic constructions.
The Sydney Harbour Bridge – known locally as “the coat hanger” was completed in 1932. The single span bridge was completed in eight years – the £6.25m loan took a little longer, and was paid off only in 1988!
The arch spans 503m (1,650 feet) and supports the weight of the road and rail beds on steel cables.
Over 150,000 vehicles cross the bridge each day and if you’re feeling adventurous you can join one of the three hour climbs to the summit, led by specially trained guides.
The Sydney Opera House, designed by Danish architect Jorn Utzon, took 17 years to complete at a cost of $102m. A competition was announced in 1955 and won by Utzon’s design in 1957. But the design entailed novel building techniques and several controversial design compromises were made, resulting in Utzon resigning from the project in 1966. The building was completed by Australian designers. More recently, Utzon was brought back to help prepare a set of design principles to guide any future modifications.
The building is not a single opera house, but rather a series of performance spaces, including an opera theatre, a concert hall and a drama theatre, which are housed beneath its ten roof sails. The building covers 2-hectares and contains more than 1000 rooms. Check their website for what’s on and when.
Luna Park – Sydney’s famous fun fair was built on the site of the workshops used to build the Harbour Bridge. It was modeled on New York’s Luna Park on Coney Island, and was built in South Australia and moved to its present site in 1935.
Its entrance – a giant laughing face – is flanked by twin art deco towers. Today’s face is the eighth in the series. The first four only lasted between 1935 and 1945. In 1977 a catastrophic fire in the ghost train killed seven people, leading to Luna Park’s eventual closure in 1988. The funfare was renovated in the 1990s and reopened in 1995.
Check the Luna Park website for opening hours and prices. Group discounts are available.
