What is the Queen Victoria Building in Sydney?
The Queen Victoria Building, or QVB, is a grand Romanesque Revival shopping centre in central Sydney. Completed in 1898, it fills a whole city block on George Street.
The QVB was designed by architect George McRae and originally housed a market, offices and shops. Its copper domes, stained glass and arched windows made it one of the most ornate buildings in the city.
During the twentieth century the building was altered for council offices and a library, and by the 1960s it was even considered for demolition. A major restoration by a Malaysian company returned it to its original glory, and it reopened as a shopping centre in 1986.
Inside the QVB
Today the building houses around 180 shops and cafes across several floors. Visitors admire the central glass dome, tiled floors and wrought-iron balustrades, as well as a large Christmas tree that rises through the atrium each December.
Two hanging mechanical clocks are a highlight. The Great Australian Clock shows scenes from Australian history, while the Royal Clock features a parade of English kings and queens on the hour.
Did You Know?
A statue of Queen Victoria, brought from Ireland, stands outside the building's southern entrance.