November 2nd, 2009
Historical Sites of Canberra, Australia
The capital city of Australia, Canberra was literally built by design. In 1911 the Government held a completion for city planners in which one hundred and thirty-seven proposals were submitted, and in 1912 the Chicago architects Marion Mahony Griffin and Walter Burley Griffin were chosen. They stated that they wanted to plan the ideal city. And they did. For those traveling in current times to the city, there are many museums and historical sites of interest that illustrate the development and the growth of Canberra, Australia. Hotel accommodations are reasonable, the restaurants are plentiful, and the sights to see are never ending.
One venue perfect for learning about this city is the National Capital Exhibition. This gives the full story of just how this city came to be. It is a perfect place to take the kids, in fact on any given day there is likely to be field trips and educational seminars going on for school age children. The seminars tell of just why it was Canberra that chosen to be the capital. The museum houses a collection of the incredible architectural drawings of the Griffin’s and the small theater regularly shows a short film about the time called ” The Story of Canberra”. The pre-history of the city is illustrated as well, such as the life of the indigenous tribes of the area, and their spiritual connection to the Bogong Moth.
The National Capital Exhibition sits on the banks of Lake Burley Griffin, named in honor of the architects of the city, and of the lake itself. As with their layout of the city, the Griffin’s used geometry in the creation of the lake, and sits exactly in the center of the city. And if there is still time in the day for more exploration, many other options are available within walking distance, such as the National Museum of Australia, Telstra Tower, the Parliament House and The National Science and Technology Center.
Related posts: