How often have you driven past the Royal Exhibition Building in Carlton Gardens and not given the spectacular architecture and surrounding gardens another thought? It is one of the few buildings in Melbourne that can be said to have truly maintained their original function of hosting exhibitions from construction through to the present day.
The famous 'Great Hall' has many typical features seen in exhibition buildings: a spectacular dome, great portal entries, fanlight windows and a cruciform floor-plan. Surrounded by carefully designed gardens, it still is as much of a pleasure to stroll through as it was when designed by Joseph Reed and built in the late 1900's.
This appointed World Heritage site is the first non-Aboriginal cultural site in Australia to win a listing. Defined as a place that is important to all peoples of the world, the Royal Exhibition Building is of special significance to Melbournians (even if they don't realise it!)Little has been written about the sculptures surrounding the main building... however we did manage to find this tidbit of information.
"In front of the Royal Exhibition Buildings is the Hochgurtel Fountain, with its three colossal figures, half man, half fish supporting the first ledge.
Above the first ledge four boys dance hand in hand, representing commerce, industry, science and arts, with symbolic designs shown over their heads.
Hochgurtel’s design was selected by the Gardens Committee in 1880, who invited designs for a fountain to be built for the Exhibition. It is made from Portland cement on a frame of stone and iron."Oliver captured a few sculptural details that many would not stop to notice.
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