Royal Exhibition Building

Situated at the Carlton Gardens in Melbourne, Australia, the Royal Exhibition Building was developed in 1880 to serve as a venue for an international exhibit -- the Melbourne Centennial Exhibition, to showcase the prosperity of Melbourne as it was the "wealthiest gold rush in the world" when Victoria was still a colony of the British Empire. Because of its rich history, the Royal Exhibition Building was declared as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Even today, the Royal Exhibition Building still serves as the ultimate venue for exhibits, trade shows, fashion shows and other events. The historic commencement of the first Commonwealth Parliament in Australia in May of 1901 was held at the Royal Exhibition Building. The event was filled with important guests such as the Duke of Cornwall and York, who opened the actual ceremony and was the inheritor to the throne; naval officers, politicians and members of the clergy.

The actual establishment which boasts an elaborate late 18th century Victorian design was built by David Mitchell and designed by architect Joseph Reed. Over the years, the interior part of the Royal Exhibition Building underwent several changes in its color schemes, with the current scheme based on the colors used to prepare the building for the opening of the first Australian Commonwealth Parliament in 1901. In an effort to conserve the beauty of this historic building, conservators painstakingly restored the original designs and the actual process took two years as the restored building was unveiled in 1994.

Aside from the main exhibition hall, annexes made of bricks were erected to originally serve as a house for the Parliament of Victoria. Unfortunately, the eastern annex was partially destroyed during the fifties while the western annex was destroyed during the 60's. The remains of the eastern annex were then converted in 1979 into the Convention Center, with a new front part made of glass. The promenade deck that surrounded the dome of the Exhibition Building was a main tourist attraction. Currently, the building is surrounded by the Carlton Gardens, also designed by Joseph Reed and William Sangster. The Carlton Gardens, as part of the lush landscape surrounding the magnificent Royal Exhibition Buildings, is also a popular venue for events and is recognized worldwide because of its natural beauty and 19th century Gardenesque style which includes a prominent path system; a couple of miniature lakes; three fountains; major avenues such as the "Grand Allee" and the southern carriage drive; and parterre garden beds filled with a variety of trees and plants. This garden area is also a favorite park of many locals and visitors because of its "laid back" ambiance and scenic views.

Since it is near the central business district of Melbourne, the Royal Exhibition building is the perfect venue for any large exhibitions, public trade shows and other major events. With an interior floor area of 12,000 square-kilometers and an external floor area of 7,000 square-kilometres, this historic building is definitely a site worth seeing when going on a trip to Melbourne, Australia.