Sydney Town Hall

In front of you stands Sydney Town Hall, a fine example of the city’s characteristic sandstone architecture. Its construction began in 1869, and the building welcomed its first municipal services five years later in 1874. A true symbol of the city’s wealth at the time, it demonstrated Sydney’s independence as well as its ambition to construct buildings worthy of a renowned city. Inspired by Paris’s Hôtel de Ville, its architecture features elements typical of the French Second Empire style. Inside, it houses what was, at the end of the 19th century, the largest pipe organ in the world. In fact, it was here where concerts and performances took place before the Sydney Opera House was built in 1973.