| Popis: |
Before the official naming of Canberra as Australia’s Capital City in 1913, locally available sandstone and volcanic rock were the major building stones used in this then sparsely populated area. A church and a cottage from the 1840s and 60s are the sole remaining heritage structures from this period in the central part of Canberra. As the construction of the new city commenced, readily available clay for brick-making was the preferred building material. This began to change in the 1930s when major public and monumental buildings were erected. To emphasise the prestige and significance of these buildings extensive use was made of attractive natural stone, both from Australian sources and from quarries in many other countries. This trend culminated in the building of the permanent Parliament House, opened in 1988, where 35 types of beautiful decorative stones, sourced from many parts of the world, are now on display. |
