As far as I can work out from its website, outside the rare ‘Open Day’ the Australian Capital Territory’s (ACT) Legislative Assembly (local government – see footnote below) building is only open to school groups.
Dear Reader, let that not unduly concern you as, I my humble opinion, the building is downright ugly and jaded, entirely befitting its cohort of Honourable Members. Continue reading “Ethos Statue Worth A Look – Forget the Assembly”
This review is hopefully a logical continuation of my separate review on Old Parliament House – located adjacent to this building. If you have not read it, I suggest you have a look at it before reading this review. Continue reading “Parliament House”
Old Parliament House served as the meeting place of the South Australian State Government between 1857 and 1889 though the Legislative Council (Upper House) remained in the building until 1939 when it too moved into the New Parliament House, next door. Continue reading “Old Parliament House”
The most notable document you will find in Parliament House is from a time when Australia was unknown to the rest of the world. It is one of four surviving originals of the 1297 Inspeximus issue of Magna Carta. The other surviving originals can be found in the National Archives, London, in the Guild Hall of the City of London and in the National Archives in Washington DC. Continue reading “See the Magna Carta in Parliament House”
When you enter the Great Hall at Parliament House your eyes will be immediately drawn, hopefully not in the “Oh my god, what’s that” sort of way, to the massive tapestry covering most of the back wall of the Hall. Continue reading “The Great Hall Tapestry – Parliament House”
For me this is one of the most architecturally interesting and satisfying buildings not only in Australia but in the world and is certainly a major contrast to the previous building – Old Parliament House – which was only ever intended to be a temporary home for the Australian Parliament, albeit a temporary home that lasted 61 years. It would be quite unfair to compare the two buildings. Continue reading “Parliament House – Canberra”
Unfortunately this magnificent attraction underwent something of an identity crisis and for whatever reason has re-badged itself as the Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House with an emphasis on the museum part. This identity crisis, I believe, stems from the move of the National Portrait section to its new permanent home at the newly built National Portrait Gallery in 2008. Continue reading “Old Parliament House – Museum of Australian Democracy”
The Soviet style (and designed) Great Hall of the People lies to the west of Tiananmen Square. Given the sheer size the square the buildings in and around it look much smaller than they actually are. Make no mistake, this building is huge, covering an area of 150,000sqm. Believe it or not, the twelve light-gray marble colonnades on the front of the building are each two metres in diameter and twenty-five metres high. Continue reading “The Great Hall of the People”
The Moranbong theatre was not on our tour but just prior to entering the Moranbong Park for a walk and picnic I sighted the theatre, easily identifiable due to its neo-classical facade, off to our left. Continue reading “Moranbong Theatre”
While we could admire North Korea’s Supreme People’s Assembly or Parliament from the outside we could not go inside. Continue reading “Supreme People’s Assembly (Mansudae Assembly Hall)”
The Rambling Wombat 