Views of South Australia : General Post Office |
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| Title : | Views of South Australia : General Post Office |
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| Date of creation : | ca. 1880 | ||
| Format : | Photograph | ||
| Dimensions : | 210 x 160 cm | ||
| Contributor : | State Library of South Australia | ||
| Catalogue record | |||
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| Copyright : | Reproduction rights are owned by State Library of South Australia. This image may be printed or saved for research or study. Use for any other purpose requires permission from the State Library of South Australia. To request approval, complete the Permission to publish form. |
| Description : |
General Post Office, King William Street, photographed about 1880. The imposing clock tower known as the 'Victoria Tower' made the GPO the tallest and biggest building in Adelaide during the mid to late 1800s. It was much reduced in height from the original design concept. A design competition was held in 1865, but building did not commence until 1867 because of disputes over the quality of the building stone. Prince Alfred (second son of Queen Victoria) laid the foundation stone at the base of the clock tower on 1 November 1867 watched by thousands of Adelaide's citizens. The external appearance of the GPO is in the Anglo-Italian style in cut freestone from the Glen Ewin quarries and the main portion of the walls are of Glen Osmond stone. The building consists of a lower storey of Doric columns with semicircular headed windows. A bold cornice extends around the building and above this the second storey is Ionic in style with square headed windows. The building is topped with a further cornice and a balustrade. Wrought iron gates complete the building. The GPO is listed on the Commonwealth Heritage List, the Register of the National Estate and the South Australian Heritage Register.
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| Subjects | |
| Related names : | General Post Office (Adelaide, S. Aust.) Wright, Edmund W. (Edmund William), 1824-1888 Woods, Edward John, 1839-1916 |
| Coverage year : | 1880 |
| Period : | 1852-1883 |
| Place : | King William Street (Adelaide, S. Aust.) |
| Region : | Adelaide city |
| Further reading : | Centenary of the General Post Office, Adelaide, 1867-1967 [Adelaide: Postmaster-General's Dept., 1967] Heritage of the city of Adelaide: an illustrated guide Adelaide: Corporation of the City of Adelaide, 1990 Jensen, Elfrida Colonial architecture in South Australia: a definitive chronicle of development 1836-1890 and the social history of the times Adelaide: Rigby, 1980 Apperly, Richard A pictorial guide to identifying Australian architecture: styles and terms from 1788 to the present Sydney: Angus & Robertson, 1989 Page, Michael F. Sculptors in space: South Australian architects 1836-1986 [Adelaide, S. Aust.]: Royal Australian Institute of Architects (South Australian Chapter), 1986 Morgan, E. J. R. Early Adelaide architecture 1836 to 1886 Melbourne, New York: Oxford University Press [1969] Turney, Barbara Adelaide, city of charm [Kent Town, S. Aust.]: Axiom Publishing, 1989 |
| Internet links : | The Register of the National Estate: Search the register Enter General Post Office Adelaide |
| Exhibitions and events : | State Library of South Australia: Mortlock Wing. From the ground up August 2004- |
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