Wednesday 7 March 2012

CARLTON GARDENS

Originally designed for the Melbourne International Exhibition of 1880, the Exhibition buildings and the surrounding Carlton Gardens are now World Heritage listed. The Royal Exhibition Building is Australia's only World Heritage listed building. Completed in 1880 for Melbourne's first International Exhibition, it was the site of Australia's first Federal Parliament in 1901. With its meticulously restored interior, expansive galleries and soaring dome, it continues to offer a magnificent setting for trade shows, fairs and cultural events.







The Exhibition Fountain by Josef Hochgurtel is of Portland cement built in 1880. Josef Hochgurtel was born in Cologne, Germany, and trained under Herr Fuels, who modelled the Cologne Cathedral. In creating the Exhibition Fountain, he was assisted by August Saupe, who had worked on similar pieces in Berlin, Dresden and Copenhagen. The colossal fountain stands some 10 metres high on the south side of the Royal Exhibition Building, outside the Great Hall. It was constructed for the first of Melbourne’s two grand international world fairs. The fountain’s visual elements were designed to display the young colony’s confidence and advancement, simultaneously signalling the purpose of world fairs to display the produce and industry of nations.





A more modern example of a fountain can be found close to the Exhibition Fountain, on the Eastern side. This water feature has two water jets and a rustic stone bridge.



Another water feature on the Western side provides a calm mirroring pool, a haven for all sorts of water birds.




This post is part of the Watery Wednesday meme,

24 comments:

  1. Gorgeous gardens and building! Fantastic photos too.

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  2. Pictures, close to a fairy-tale.



    daily athens photo

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  3. Amazing fountain and a beautiful spot to visit.

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  4. These are awesome, Nick! And what a gorgeous place it is! Amazing fountain indeed and I would love to spend some time there! Hope your week is going well!

    Sylvia

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  5. That's some fountain! Great pics.

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  6. I love that stone bridge, and the setting for it!!!

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  7. Melbourne should be known as the city of parks! Fabulous building and fountain.

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  8. That is a gorgeous park -- among the many you've shown us! Beautifully maintained.

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  9. That's an amazing place. Nice shots.

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  10. Love the art details of the fountains! Its a great place to photograph, and great too for a little hike.

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  11. You all guys live in a pretty city.
    Lovely fountains.

    Thanks.

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  12. What a lovely place. Great captures of the structures. Wonderful photo opportunity.

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  13. What an elaborate fountain! Great sculptures, Nick.

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  14. Wow even a Cormorant came to bathe in the water, very pretty park-looks like a great place for a picnic too:)

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  15. Stunning Nick ... Your close-up captures of the fountain are Superbe!

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  16. Beautiful shots from a lovely place!
    Love the stone bridge.

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  17. Glorious setting that shimmers with pride in style and elegance - available to anyone who chooses to wander there! Beautiful photos!

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  18. So, so beautiful!!! I especially enjoyed the close up of the 'cherubs' and the water fountain sprinkles surrounding them.

    My watery post link: White Pelican 'chit-chat'

    Hope you're having a terrific day!!

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  19. What a pleasure to get a virtual tour of these magnificent gardens, Nick. Admire both the traditional(very joyful feel)and more modern fountains. And how nice it would be to retreat from a meeting or conference for a walk around the mirroring pool and enjoy some closeups of some "watery" birds.

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  20. You really have some beautiful parks in Melbourne. :)

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  21. Gorgeous captures!

    Late visiting from Watery Wednesday, hope you can visit my Water Fountain, entry. Thanks in advance.

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  22. Wonderful series! What a lovely garden/park!
    :)

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  23. What a beautiful and elaborate fountain. This is one gorgeous place...no wonder it is on the World Heritage list. All of the pictures are wonderful, but that last one with his wings spread really captured my eye. It was like he was going to give me a big Wednesday hug. I could use one of those today. genie

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  24. Grand international world fairs. The fountain’s visual elements were designed to display the young colony’s confidence and advancement, simultaneously signalling the purpose of world fairs to display the produce and industry of nations.

    LÃ¥n Penge

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