Monday 6 August 2012

QUEEN VICTORIA MARKET

The Queen Victoria Market (also known as the Queen Vic Markets or the Queen Vic, and locally as '"Vic Market"') is a major landmark in Melbourne, Australia, and at around seven hectares is the largest open air market in the Southern Hemisphere. The Market is significant to Melbourne's culture and heritage and has been listed on the Victorian Heritage Register.

The Market is named after Queen Victoria who ruled the British Empire, from 1837 to 1901. The Queen Victoria Market is the only surviving 19th century market in the Melbourne central business district. There were once three major markets in the Melbourne CBD, but two of them, the Eastern Market and Western Market, both opened before the Queen Victoria, closed in the 1960s. It also forms part of an important collection of surviving Victorian markets which includes the inner suburban Prahran Market and South Melbourne Market.

The mural decoration on the market façade harks back to 1868 when the building was the Wholesale Meat Market. However, the wholesale meat trade soon became dissatisfied with the site and relocated to the Metropolitan Meat Market building in Courtney Street, North Melbourne. The building was then turned over to a Retail Meat and Fish Market and slaughterhouse. In 1878, the Market sheds G, H, I & J were built on the site and wholesaling and retailing of fruit and vegetables occurred for the first time.

This post is part of the Mellow Yellow Monday meme,
and also part of the Monday Murals meme.











16 comments:

  1. I am a fan of this market for photography.

    There is this turkish bread place costing about 2 dollar 50 each that has the best lamb in the whole melbourne put in it. Really really Yummy. Always a long queue.

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  2. What a fascinating place! There is an open air market in St Louis, MO that I visited last time - has been there a long time also. It is so much fun to walk through and see everything! Great photos and wonderful detail showed on the mural!

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  3. That's a cool building. I can stay in that market for hours. Have a fabulous week.

    Liz @ MLC
    Liz @ YACB

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  4. I like the way you brought us closer step by step. We have an old market with sculpture over the door, too. Only no pink cows. Must be an Aussie breed. Wink. The liveliness on the inside is a delight to see. It's a pleasure to see old buildings still used for their original purpose. Thanks for contributing to Monday Mural.

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  5. An impressive looking market I would love to explore.

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  6. Terrific captures, Nick! I love markets like this and we do have a wonderful one here in Seattle, but it doesn't have as much history as yours does! Hope your week is off to a good start!

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  7. great looking market. (reminds me I must get down to ours, but it does not have the history of yours, either)

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  8. I remember going here many times when I was in Melb - even though I had no need to be buying food!
    love the pink cow and sheep.

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  9. What a wonderful piece of your world that is. Thank you for this journey. Please have a good Tuesday.

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  10. Looks like a great place to shop...

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  11. Regretfully I have never been to the Victoria Markets, love the tracery of the tram cables.

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  12. Love that first shot, shows the gorgeous old buildings add the trolly wires overhead, and you really harken back to an older age. Nice shot.

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