#FamouslandmarksinSydney

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25 Famous Landmarks In Sydney

Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and all of Oceania with a population of well over 5.3 million inhabitants. It's the capital of the state of New South Wales on the east coast of the country. The city was established as a British exile colony on January 26, 1788, and it became the first European settlement in Australia that day. The city was incorporated in 1842 and has continuously expanded ever since, resulting in a metropolis that is made up of a total of 658 suburbs in 33 local government areas. One of the most remarkable facts about Sydney is that it's one of the most expensive cities to live in as well as one of the most livable in the world, ranking frequently in the top 3 along with another major city in Australia, Melbourne. The city features some of the most iconic structures in the world, and in this post, we have compiled a list of some of the most famous landmarks in Sydney. All of these should be on your bucket list when you visit this amazing place!

1. Sydney Opera House

The Sydney Opera House is not just one of the most famous landmarks in Sydney but is an icon of all of Australia. This remarkable structure was built between 1959 and 1973 and has become one of the most popular tourist attractions in Australia with an estimated 8 million yearly visitors. The building features multiple venues with an overall capacity of 5,738 spectators and is the host of over 1,500 yearly performances that are visited by over 1.2 million people. The building is located at Bennelong Point in the Sydney Harbour and the structure was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2007.

Sydney Opera House / Pixabay

2. Sydney Harbour Bridge

The Sydney Harbour Bridge is another iconic landmark in the city and one of the most iconic bridges in the world. It's a steel through arch bridge across Sydney Harbour that was constructed between 1923 and 1932 and connects the Sydney central business district and the North Shore. The bride is often referred to as the "Coathanger" due to its design and is considered to be another icon of all of Australia instead of just Sydney. Even though it isn't the longest steel arch bridge, it's the tallest with a total height of 134 meters (440 feet). It was also the world's widest long-span bridge until the year 2012 with a total width of 48.8 meters (160 feet).

Discover 19 Facts About The Sydney Harbour BridgeRead more

Sydney Harbour Bridge / Pixabay

3. Sydney Tower Eye

The Sydney Tower Eye is without question the best attraction in Sydney to get amazing views of this fascinating city. This magnificent tower stands 305 meters (1,001 feet) tall and its observation deck is situated at a maximum elevation of 279 meters (915 feet). This makes it the tallest structure in Sydney and the second-tallest observation tower in the Southern Hemisphere after the Sky Tower in Auckland in New Zealand. Its remarkable golden turret can be seen from just about anywhere in the city as well.

Discover 10 Fabulous Sydney Tower FactsRead more

Sydney Tower Eye / Pixabay

4. Queen Victoria Building

The Queen Victoria Building is one of the most remarkable structures in Sydney's central business district. It was built between 1893 and 1898 in the Romanesque Revival architectural style, something that really makes it stand out among the modern skyscrapers in this area. It's also a huge building as it has a width of 30 meters (98 feet) and a total length of 190 meters (620 feet). It was originally constructed as a marketplace but has been used for a wide variety of purposes in the 20th century until it was completely restored in the 1980s.

Queen Victoria Building / Dietmar Rabich / https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed

5. St Mary's Cathedral

St Mary's Cathedral is officially known as the "Cathedral Church and Minor Basilica of the Immaculate Mother of God, Help of Christians" and is the main Roman Catholic Cathedral in the city and the seat of the Archbishop of Sydney. This amazing church was built between 1868 and 1928 and was officially declared a minor basilica by Pope Pius XI just 4 years later on August 4, 1932. The church can be found on College Street on the eastern edge of the central business district.

St Mary's Cathedral / John Armagh / https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en

6. Crown Sydney

Crown Sydney is an amazing skyscraper located in the Barangaroo neighborhood in central Sydney. This modern skyscraper was completed in December 2020 and stands 271.3 meters (890 feet) tall. This makes it the tallest skyscraper in Sydney. The tower was developed by Crown Resorts and cost a whopping 2.2 billion AUD to build. It features a wide variety of entertainment facilities, including a hotel and a casino, as well as a large number of residences.

Crown Sydney / MDRX / https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0

7. The Rocks

The Rocks is a historic neighborhood on the southern shore of Sydney Harbour and just to the northwest of the central business district of the city. It's one of the first neighborhoods in Sydney following the establishment of the penal colony in 1788. The area had a rough history as it was dominated by a gang in the 19th century and the area became completely dilapidated by the early 20th century. Many houses were demolished in this period but today, The Rocks is an interesting commercial area and tourist spot in Sydney.

The Rocks / Pavel Špindler / https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en

8. Sydney Town Hall

Sydney Town Hall is a historic government building and landmark in the central business district and situated just across the Queen Victoria Building. It was constructed between 1886 and 1889 in a combination of the Victorian and Napoleon III architectural styles. It was constructed on the area of the Old Sydney Burial Ground which was in use between 1792 and 1820 and just about everybody who lived in Sydney at this time was buried here.

Sydney Town Hall /Tony Hisgett / https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.en

9. Royal Botanic Garden

The Royal Botanic Garden is an enormous Botanical garden in an area referred to as "Farm Cover, right on the eastern edge of the central business district. The garden covers a total area of 30 hectares (74 acres). The garden opened in the year 1816 which means that it's the oldest scientific institution in Australia. Today, it's one of the most popular tourist areas in all of Sydney as well. Access is free and some areas provide stunning views of the Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour.

Aerial view of the Royal Botanical Garden / Pavel / https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.en

10. Hyde Park Barracks

The Hyde Park Barracks are former barracks that were built between 1811 and 1819 and have been used for a wide variety of purposes. Apart from being used to house prisoners, they have also been used as a courthouse, mint, and hospital. These barracks are one of the 11 Australian Convict Sites that were built within the British Empire, and that was also its original purpose. Today, the purpose of the structure has changed quite a bit as it houses a museum and cafe for tourists to visit.

Hyde Park Barracks / Source

11. Central Station

The Central Station of Sydney is also referred to as the "Sydney Terminal" and is the busiest railway station in New South Wales with over 85 million yearly passengers. It's the third railway station in Sydney since the first railways were constructed in the 1830s. The main terminal building of the current station was completed in 1906 using sandstone. It features an enormous clock tower built in the Free Classical style and completed in 1921. This tower stands 85.6 meters (281) tall which makes it one of the most prominent landmarks in the area.

Central Station Clock Tower / Hpeterswald / https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en

12. Sydney Observatory

The Sydney Observatory is located on Observatory Hill in the Sydney suburb of Millers Point. It features a meteorological station, an astronomical observatory, a science museum, and an education facility. The building was constructed between 1857 and 1859 and was built on the location of an early defense fort. This early 19th-century fortification was transformed into an observatory and today, visitors can gaze at the stars at night through powerful telescopes.

Sydney Observatory / Greg O'Beirne / https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en

13. The Mint

The Mint is one of the most amazing landmarks in Sydney because it's the oldest public building in the central business district. This structure was built between 1811 and 1816 and originally served its purpose as the southern wing of the Sydney Hospital. The mint was only established in the year 1854 and a coin factory was built at the rear side of the original building. Today, the building is used as the head office of the Historic Houses Trust of New South Wales and as a popular tourist attraction in the city.

Sydney Mint / J Bar / https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en

14. General Post Office

The General Post Office is located on Martin Square, a large pedestrian area in the central business district. This remarkable building was constructed between 1866 and 1891 using local Sydney sandstone. It's considered to be the epitome building of the Victorian Italian Renaissance Style and is much bigger than it appears to be with a length of 114 meters (374 feet). The building served as the headquarters of the Australia Post until 1996 when it was privatized.

General Post Office / Sardaka / https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.en

15. St Andrew's Cathedral

The St Andrew's Cathedral is the main church of the Anglican Church of Australia and the cathedral of the Anglican Diocese of Sydney. It's one of the most remarkable Gothic Cathedrals in Australia. The cathedral was constructed between 1837 and 1868 and even though it's far from being the largest structure in this style, its Gothic elements are considered top-notch which makes the structure appear grand, regardless of its small size.

St Andrew's Cathedral / Source

16. 1 Bligh Street

1 Bligh Street is one of the most remarkable skyscrapers in the central business district of Sydney. It's a modern-style office building that stands 139 meters (456 feet) tall and overlooks the Sydney Harbour, the Sydney Harbour Bridge, and Circular Quay. The building is one of the most ecologically sustainable structures on the planet and has multiple features to preserve energy. Some of these include reusing 90% of its wastewater and a full double-skin façade with external blinds to preserve energy.

1 Bligh Street / Gareth Edwards / https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en

17. Kings Cross

Kings Cross is an inner-city area located about 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) to the east of the central business district. The area is locally known as simply "The Cross" and used to be one of the most popular nightlife areas in the city, full of theaters and music halls. After World War II, the area was transformed into a red-light district full of bars and nightclubs. Similar to how Times Square In New York was transformed into a family-friendly area, Kings Cross in Sydney has been transformed into a safer area as well due to the Sydney lockout laws in the 2010s.

Kings Cross / 200ok / https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/deed.en

18. State Library of New South Wales

The State Library of New South Wales is the oldest public library in Australia. It was established in the year 1826 and serves as a reference and research library featuring special collections. The library is located right across the Royal Botanic Garden near the central business district and the current library building was built between 1905 and 1910 and further expanded in the years 1939, 1959, and 1964.

State Library of New South Wales / Batsv / https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.en

19. Darling Harbour

Darling Harbour is a harbor featuring a pedestrian area and a large number of entertainment facilities. It's situated on the western edge of the central business district and has become one of the most popular areas in the city for both locals and tourists. The harbor was named after the Governor of New South Wales between 1825 and 1831, Lieutenant-General Ralph Darling (1772-1858), and was originally known as Long Cove. Darling was the one who named it after himself in 1826.

Daring Harbour / Pixabay

20. Art Gallery of New South Wales

The Art Gallery of New South Wales is located on the Domain, an area on the eastern edge of the central business district. It was originally founded in 1872 as the New South Wales Academy of Art and renamed the National Art Gallery of New South Wales between 1883 and 1958. The first art exhibition of the Gallery dates back to 1874 and today, the main exhibition area which featured Australian, European, and Asian art is free to the public. With over 1.3 million visitors a year it's one of the most popular tourist attractions in Sydney!

Art Gallery of New South Wales / Kgbo / https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.en

21. Building 8

Building 8 is officially known as the "Dr. Chau Chak Wing Building" as it was named after the Chinese businessman who donated $20 million for its construction. It's one of the buildings of the University of Technology of Sydney. The structure was completed between 2012 and 2015 and was designed by Canadian American architect Frank Gehry. The façade of the building features an astounding 320,000 custom-designed bricks, resulting in one of the most fascinating buildings in Australia!

Building 8 / Summerdrought / https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.en

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