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The General Post Office (abbreviation GPO, known also as the GPO Sydney, Postal Hall, The Westin Sydney and The GPO Grand) is a landmark building located in Martin Place, Sydney, Australia. The original building was constructed in two stages beginning in 1866 and was designed under the guidance of Colonial Architect James Barnet. Composed primarily of local Sydney sandstone, mined in Pyrmont, the primary load-bearing northern façade has been described as "the finest example of the Victorian Italian Renaissance Style in NSW" and stretches 114 metres along Martin Place, making it one of the largest sandstone buildings in Sydney. Throughout its twenty five year construction process, the GPO was marred by two major controversies, the first of which related to the selection of bells for the campanile clock and the second, more significantly, to the commission of Italian immigrant sculptor Tomaso Sani's "realistic" depictions of people for the carvings along the Pitt Street arcade.〔 One of its first critics, Frederick Darley (later, the Chief Justice of NSW) "denigrated the carvings as caracatures" and such was the controversy surrounding these works that it led to debates on aesthetics and taste within the New South Wales Legislative Assembly between 1883-1890 in which Barnet was himself called upon to justify and defend his decision. Despite severe criticism and controversy, by the time of its final completion in 1891, the building was hailed as a turning point for the Colony of New South Wales, and historians have since noted the building's significance as a force for driving prosperity and for the Federation of Australia. Its architectural expression and in particular its Pitt Street carvings have since been hailed as "the beginning of art in Australia," as well as its urban significance in the shaping of Sydney's urban grid and the Martin Place precinct.〔〔 Having remained as the headquarters of Australia Post since its completion, the GPO was privatised and leased out in 1996 as part of the disbursement of assets by the Federal Government of Australia. The day-to-day counter postal services were scaled back and are now located on the George Street frontage and is known as the Sydney GPO Post Shop. The old General Post Office post boxes and Poste restante services are now located in the Australia Post site in the Hunter Connection, on the corner of George Street and Hunter Street. Major components of the building were significantly refurbished during the privatisation through the works of Sydney-based architectural practice Clive, Lucas & Stapleton, and today, the GPO houses shops, restaurants, hotel rooms, and the lobby of two adjoining tower blocks. Despite significant internal alterations and additions, the façade has remained virtually unchanged and is listed both on the Commonwealth Heritage List (formerly known as the Register of the National Estate) and the New South Wales State Heritage Register, as recognition of its architectural and social significance to the history of Australia.〔 == Location == The site of the GPO falls within the traditional country of the Cadigal (Gadigal) people, a part of the Eora Aboriginal nation within the Sydney region and one of the many hundreds of communities which make up the Indigenous peoples of Australia. Historically noted for being a harbour-dwelling clan, the Cadigal people inhabited the shorelines stretching from inner South Head to the Eastern Suburbs, and west to Warrane (or War-ran, now known as Sydney Cove) and also along parts of today's City of Sydney to Gomora (now known as Darling Harbour). The current site of the General Post Office is also situated over the now entirely enclosed Tank Stream, which was once the primary source of fresh water for the Penal Colony of New South Wales, shortly aftef the arrival the First Fleet on 26 January 1788, under the direction of Arthur Philip, the First Governor.〔〔 Today, the General Post Office is located along the western end of Martin Place (No. 1 Martin Place) and spans the entire length of this section of public plaza between George and Pitt Streets. Its geographical location within one of Sydney's key Central Business District (CBD) public spaces makes it a recognisable public landmark, alongside other significant buildings such as the State Savings Bank Building and the MLC Centre. The central axis of its primary façade is also aligned with the ANZAC Cenotaph, a memorial located at the centre of Martin Place, dedicated to the soldiers who fought in World War I. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「General Post Office, Sydney」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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