Queen Victoria Building Sydney, Shopping Arcade, QVB Sydney
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 26 апр 2022
- Sydney’s Queen Victoria building has stood majestically for over 120 years. The QVB's Romanesque style of architecture stands as a testament to the level of detail and craftsmanship of a by gone era.
The heritage listed Queen Victoria Building stands three stories tall, with it’s great central dome rising 60 metres into the air, which stood proud against the late 19th century Sydney skyline. In this video we explore why there were repeated calls for the Queen Victoria Building shopping arcade’s demolition in the 1950s and 60s.
🚀 SUPPORT THE CHANNEL ON PATREON
◆ Patreon - / sydneyhistory
00:30 Sydney Central Markets
01:53 Queen Victoria Building Design
04:21 Building Refurbishment in 1918
05:42 Calls for the building to be demolished 1950s and 60s
06:37 Building restoration in the 1980s
Did city planners get it right by keeping the QVB or would have a civic square been better?
Another example of indecision and muddling through probably resulted in the best outcome. It probably took a century for Sydney to grow up and find a use for a building like this.
If not for the fire, the fate of the Garden Palace probably would have been similar, and we’d probably be still trying to figure out how to use.
We love a big grand civic gestures in Sydney, big bridges, opera house, QVB, Darling Harbour… they’re typically an overreach, but in time we figure out how to use them.
It's old world technology,a big fractal antenna and it's about 300 years old, you just don't know it,and you said nothing about the underground tunnels under it
@@michaeljoshualewis538get your facts right before you say ridiculous things
@@FelicityAnne3 facts?,what about how the copper and alloy/nickel domes produced electricity?,ever noticed the balls on the old building s?,filled with mercury?you believe in 1825 they built the state bank building?,there's buildings I have filmed from 1807,how did they get the resources to build them,they don't even know how the dome on town hall was built today,you wanna believe the lies told by the freemasonic devils good on you,them old buildings in Sydney are old world structures,not horse and cart built by idiots,they were inherited 🚒, Sydney in the 1876 pics from town hall tower was massive,1 million population probably,we never built all that,like the Auckland museum,empty land 1840, massive building constructed in 1852,with what infrastructure?,it's the same all over our plane,it's not even 2024,they lied about that too,you have no idea what you even live on,there's 1692 church in England with power points from the energy extracted from the ether on the roof,in 1910 there was electric cars that went 1000 miles between charges, ,like general MacArthur near st James station was in tunnels 7 floors deep under Hyde Park,you know there's underground tunnels all over our realm I don't think you are very intelligent mate,you just repeat lies you were fed,try investigating how they accomplished these impossible buildings and the underground tunnels under all of them,who built Sydney?,half was already here when the British stole it like they stole new Amsterdam off the Dutch and changed it to new York,for you even know that,try opening your mind🆗😃you live on a big ring magnet,earth is an accretion disk,a plane of inertia inside toroidal fields,,powered by the central vortex,a hyperboloid,the equator region is a polloidal tropical gap where the magnetism drops off and crosses under ,it's like a magnetic induction motor,these are facts I deal with,not NASA space station that's just CGI cartoons and astro nots wearing virtual reality contacts that there's hours long bloopers,it's all filmed underwater the spacewalks and they often don't edit the bubbles out correctly,why did they first go to botany bay before the harbour?,cause they had to check out bare island star fort first,when they went to the harbour pinchgit had a obelisk about 40 metres high on it weighing hundreds of tonnes,and the earliest photos show another star fort near the opera house and a domed building behind it they got rid of,who built the miles of harbour walls too while we are talking about Sydney,Evan Strong seen the 2 different drawings made of the obelisk at the vault of the museum,also the Victoria goldfields have a couple of 200 tonne obelisks in 1860!,you think the mine owners spent millions building them,and then there's Gympie pyramid they demolished and used the geopolymer polygonal stones to fence around the old church there,and who built the stargates I have on my channel from the Australian national archives filmed nearly 100 year ago,1 was close to us,a place called the BUTTERBOX on the blue mountains,you gotta stop being hypnotised by the blood drinking child molesting freemasons 🆗💉💀👽👁️🌀🌪️🐍🦎🐉🐲🆒✋
@@FelicityAnne3 do some research!
How did a horse & cart and no electricity build that?
Take a few moments to think about before you answer and look stupid.
I attended a wedding reception in the tea room up the top of the building, 3 years ago.
I’m from the central coast between Sydney and Newcastle so I’d never been to the Queen Victoria building before then. Or done much exploring around Sydney city.
I can’t even imagine council wanting to rip down such a rich building. I really did feel as though I had stepped back into another time. They don’t make buildings like that nor have they in my life time. Thank goodness it wasn’t demolished and I got the chance to experience it! ✨
The reception must have been quite the experience. We are very lucky to still have it today.
I can still remember fruit and veg stalls there in the late 1970's on the pavement area outside. There used to be a very old man, possibly Eastern European, with a canvas cap and huge overcoat, who was homeless and he pushed this large cart mounted on pram wheels with a suitcase mounted on top, around the QVB area, he used to make some money by sharpening knives and scissors for market tenants and shop keepers around York and George Street. He was a well known identity of the QVB for many years. Harry Seidler cannot talk, he designed some absolute horror buildings in Sydney and North Sydney. Great video, thank you.
Was that chaps trolley the one with motorcycle wheels with no tyres on either side ? He was such a part of the town hall area, but should have been looked after and accommodated in a way that fitted in with his wishes.
@@metricstormtrooper Think so, I clearly remember the big metal box/suitcase on the top. He was hunched over and pushed it along very slowly, he used to sleep in the bus stops along the QVB on York Street side.
Thanks for sharing this memory. Sounds like this guy was well know in the area and time period. Kind of like the eternity chalk guy from the late 20th century who would write it on the sidewalk.
My favourite place to be when in Sydney. Thank you
Yes it is certainly a gem to behold.
I grew up in the 1970s and it was always a wonder to visit this building. I can’t imagine Sydney without it.
Wow, I've never known the QVB before the 1980s Refurbishment. It must of looked a lot different.
Thanks for another interesting video. It is so fortunate that the QVB was saved and returned to its former glory. It is interesting to hear visitors to Sydney talk about it.
Yes it is a Sydney icon. Does Melbourne or Brisbane have a building like the QVB?
@@SydneyHistory Richard from Melbourne here. Yes and no. Victorian Buildings in general, there are still plenty. There are some nice Victorian era arcades but nothing on the scale of the QVB. It truly is a remarkable building. You are very lucky to have it. I first saw it in 1981 before it was renovated. It was rather run down but oozed potential. Next time I saw it in 1987 I was very impressed.
I have walked through the QVB numerous times and last year I walked through it as a tourist
It is an amazing experience. Lots of people there now that
COVID is gone.
So glad it still stands!
Same, it would have to be the pinnacle of opulence in Sydney. It adds so much character to the Town Hall end of George St.
The QVB is just about perfect, I worked on the new signage for the restoration but was badly injured and nearly killed by a .38 drunk driver so after I finally got back to work the contract was just about finished. I remember before the restoration there was a Paul's Hardware store at street level, they sold mostly tools with the Paulcal brand and fixings, so they were a really handy place.
Sorry to hear about your accident and glad to hear you got back on your feet. I'm sure that hardware store came in really handy at times. I know how hard it is in the city today to find a good hardware store. The only one I can think of is Mitre10 on Pitt Street.
@@SydneyHistory thanks, I really missed being able to see the transformation first hand but apart from a bad limp, dodgy memory at times it's been ok ish. Cheers
Such a unique channel, literally can’t find actual Sydney History anywhere else that is more accessible and easy and interesting understand than this one. Please keep it up! You are doing so much for the Sydney community to learn more about our origins 👍
Thanks for watching. It's always awesome to receive this sort of feedback. Sydney has so many stories that are worth telling. More are coming soon. Mike
Turned out just right. Worked in the building 20 years ago when I lived in Sydney. It has a special place in my ❤❤
Yes the QVB is amazing. I'm glad they connected it with undergrounds passages links.
The genius move in the 1980s that made it successful for the first time was the underground link to the trains. The basement level has been the most important element of the QVB in its third incarnation. It now formed part of the train station by default - you might say it was the influence of the Japanese owners who had seen Shinjuku Station and wondered why Sydney wouldn’t automatically link David Jones, Grace Bros, QVB and the biggest railway station.
It now seems super obvious to us, and The Galeries thought so too when they opened in parallel to the QVB. The office tower to the south also joined to Town Hall underground, and now plans are afoot to link Martin Place and Hunter Street and Wynyard railway stations, and Barangaroo too. It’s totally normal now but the QVB got us out of the mindset of going upstairs to walk on the street, under the awnings, after getting off the train.
It was the convenience of avoiding multiple traffic lights and waiting for the pedestrian crossings that really made QVB the “express” choice for commuters in a hurry. Of course we’d end up shopping for things on the way. Remember QVB “Eat Street”? It was the fake street with a restaurant strip, under a real street. But that whole floor kept the rest of the building afloat, especially the peacefully quiet (and sanctuary from busy life) upper floors.
Yes I even heard there was a plan to make a pedestrian link from St James Station with Martin Place Station using the disused train tunnels from St James.
Yes with every major train station in Japan there is a major department store. Shibuya, Ikebukuro Shinjuku were all terminal stations for private railways 100 years ago and those entrepreneurs normally built department stores next to or as part of the station.
It's a jewel in the city's crown.
It certainly is, we are very lucky to have saved this building.
Everything turned out ' just right'. Enjoy your channel. Thank you.
Yeah I agree. Thanks for watching.
i love the QVB every time i go to sydney i go there
I don't blame you it's a magnificent building. It was hit hard like most places during COVID, but during the long weekend it was packed like I hadn't seen it in years.
What a wonderful building. Thanks for telling us it's story. After all that went on we are lucky to have the QVB.
My pleasure, we have very lucky to have the QVB today. It was so close to being lost.
Such a beautiful building. We would always do an annual Christmas shopping trip from Wollongong and the QVB was always our first destination back in the late 80s early 90s.
Yes it should be on everyone's list for a visit. Definitely one of the jewels in Sydney's crown.
Another great video! Keep it up, absolutely loving these.
The number of times I've been to Sydney and stayed so close, yet never actually been in!
You've changed that, next time I'm over I'll make the effort to come for a look inside :)
Thanks for watching Nic Benn. The Queen Victoria Building is a Sydney gem.
We're so lucky that it was saved. I didn't realise the site itself was so rich in history playing host to the central markets before the QVB.
It is an absolutly marvelous building. I had no idea of its history. Thanks for sharing it.
My pleasure, I'm glad you liked it.
Another great video. Loved the old photos of the previous buildings. Being from the country, I only got to Sydney once a year to visit the electronics shops in York street just across the road from the QVB. Always an impressive building. Another building you might want to look at is the AWA building further up York St.
Yeah York Street was known as silicone ally in the early 2000s. But a few of the shops have gone, Jaycar is still there.
The AWA tower is a good one . Definitely on the list.
@@SydneyHistory Yes, I went there from the late 70's through the 80's when they were real electronics shops, not toy shops!
Thanks Mike
No problem, thanks for watching.
Wow, thank you youtube for putting this in my recommendations. I am a new subscriber. I held my breath when you were talking about how close we came to losing the QVB. Easier to retain than regain is my motto, which I apply to everything, like tramlines. Well done to the SCC that voted to keep it and then to restore it. I love it. It is one of the things that sets Sydney aside from Melbourne. Melbourne doesn't have an iconic building like the QVB, even though they have many historic builders there is nothing like the QVB.
Yeah well done to those who fort to keep it. Melbourne has the Royal Arcade and a few other grand exhibition halls.
We are very lucky we still have it. In an alternate history we might be looking at a civic square now and talking about the QVB like we do the old Garden Palace from the 1880s.
Great presentations….I was wanting to subscribe but hoping for some more quality uploads soon
Thank you for considering. I don't have time atm to continue, but hope to do more next year. I even have one episode half done but had to stop.
It would have made a great museum. It’s so obvious. Yes the station could have been in the basement. I could also have seen it as a department store.
I think it has worked out fine. The building is packed everyday of the week. I guess how they originally hoped it would be.
Starting to see this channel blow up is great. Great video as always.
Fun Fact- QVB Hobbyco is (apparently) the largest hobby store in Australia, possibly the world!
Thanks griffin rails. More episodes coming soon.
I seen Hobbyco when shooting this video. The store is huge and located on the Druitt Street end of the building. I think in the same location as where the coffee Palace once was.
Interesting to show the influence media has. Public support to tear it down when media calls it an eyesore. Now, you wouldn’t dare consider it. I would have preferred the City Circle station under there rather than where it is at Town Hall. Wonder why it was decided against.
if I were to take a guess, maybe the QVB's basement was too shallow for the depth of the railway tunnels
Yes, with only a handful of mainstream media outlets available before the internet and most of them advocating the QVBs demolishing it comes as no surprise.
I too would have thought a train station under the building would have been a win win. Railway get a station site and council gets to enjoy the pedestrian traffic through the QVB.
This may have been the case and maybe digging deeper was too risky.
It was the mid 20th century, and we all know of the General Motors Streetcar Conspiracy. The road industry were basically insane dictators of the infrastructure world
Very interesting videos you've put together, maybe for future topics you could cover Darling Harbour as well as the old tram network?
Regarding the QVB it's interesting to see how the area has changed with the new tramline and vast reduction in vehicle traffic around the area
It's incredible they nearly demolished the building, the restoration work in the 80s were absolutely fantastic. Perhaps the smartest thing they did was to create an underground passage to Pitt Street mall and also provide easy access to the Town Hall station
Yes I agree linking it to a railway station and another major shopping precinct was a work of genius but common practice in places like Japan.
As for Darling Harbour it's definitely on the cards. So much history there. It's hard to believe that it extended all the way to nearly central station before European settlement.
Great Video, new sub. It's scary to see how close it was to being demolished, it's unthinkable now but it was so close to happening
Thanks for subbing Geo. Yeah it was scary, the sharks were circling, but sanity prevailed.
I wonder where those small dome all went, there was like 80 in total. I'm sure there must be some around still.
@@SydneyHistory Yeah I wondered that too, it's an interesting thought to imagine them in someone's backyard or shed somewhere
its a sydney icon
It certainly is Travelling Man.
glad they didn't eventially raze the crown jewel of Sydney's historic buildings.
Agreed. But there were many others that we lost. Might do a video on them one day. 🤔
Tartaria
I remember walking past the QVB in the '80s during its restoration all boarded up and looking old, ,dirty, dark, and sad. It would of been a tragic historical loss if demolished, not only for Sydney, for Australia as well.
They did wonders to it and added another 100 years to it's life.
*Edit*
New modern designs are just crap monstrosities. Whatever replaced the QVB if demolished would take away a link to the old way of doing things and be just a blob of cement crap that would not last 50 years.
yes it is a monument to human creatively and a timestamp on the era. Linking it with Town Hall Station and Pitt Street mall was a master stroke.
Is it making money now? That’s the big question I’d like to know after 100 years or so not being profitable
Why are you breaking your neck to speak to us? Great doco of this marvellous building. I think the end result is the better choice and differently the right choice not to demolish.
Do you mean I'm too close to the camera? I think next time I'll back it off a little so will have to play with the settings a bit.
@@SydneyHistory trial and error, do what you feel comfortable in doing, I like your style.
What a wonderful building i think it should have been kept original
Configuration and let
Smart business men
Manager it. City councilman are all the
Same tear down destroy
Greatness without thinking of future generations.
Yes we are very luck to have it saved. A town square and underground parking lot would have been a great loss.
Longer than 120 years 🤪😂🤪😂🤪😂🤪😂🤪😂🤪
something doesn't add up with this building... something doesn't add up with Sydney's history... why can't I find any photos taking during the construction? there are so many buildings in Sydney that I can't find any photos taken during the construction. like sydney university and the garden palace...
How & Why did they build it?!?!?!?!
Horse & cart 😂
No electricity!
Where did they get the stone from?!?!?!?!
How did they get the stone to the site?!?!?!
How did they cut the stone with no power tools?!?!?!
How did they get the massive stones that high?!?!?!
There was hardly any people here?!?!?!
Cmon peeps LETS USE SOME CRITIAL THINKING!
WE DID NOT BUILD THEM!
THEY WERE FOUND!
The stone came from a quarry in Pyrmont and was brought to site with horse and cart. There may not have been power tools, but there were tools, large stream powered digging machines etc.
@@SydneyHistory That the indoctrinated horseshit we all learned in primary school!
Enough with the lies!
A tiny amount of critical thinking and you will understand none of what you said it possible!
Stop with the indoctrination/lies!
@@SydneyHistory You cant honestly believe the bs you just wrote?!?!?!
Have a look at modern machines trying to move 100000 tonnes of stone and pillars!
A horse and cart!
Seriously!
Wake up!
Lies!
Clearly!
Critical thinking!
Try it!
@@SydneyHistory 🤪😂😂😎🤪😂🤪😂🤪😂🤪😂🤪😂🤪😂🤪😂🤪😂🤪🤪🤪🤪🤪🤪🤪🤪🤪🤪🤪🤪🤪🤪🤪🤪🤪🤪🤪🤪🤪🤪🤪🤪🤪🤪🤪🤪🤪🤪🤪🤪🤪🤪🤪🤪🤪🤪🤪🤪🤪🤪🤪😁