The Queen Victoria Building (QVB) was built in 1898 and designed by 28-year old architect, George McRae, replacing the original Sydney markets on the site. Built as a monument to the long reigning monarch, construction took place during a severe recession. How? The elaborate Romanesque architecture was specially planned for the grand building so the Government could employ many out-of-work craftsmen - stonemasons, plasterers, and stained window artists - in a worthwhile project. The Stained Glass The visual message of Sydney's coat of arms on the cartwheel stained glass window, is that the beehive depicts business, the sailing ship - trade, and the dolphins - the harbor. Panel 1 (on the left-hand side) represents the Council of the City of Sydney and symbols of architecture, while the letters I.G.B., on panel 3 (on the right), represent Ipoh Gardens Berhad, the Malaysian company who restored the QVB in 2009. The symbols are of property developers - the builders. The bottom central panel represents the heraldic symbol of a finished building, and the joining of two hands denotes the fusing of two cultures. The Queen's Secret Letter There is a letter from Queen Elizabeth II to the Citizens of Sydney, to be opened and read by the Lord Mayor of Sydney in the year 2085. The Queen Victoria Statue Outside the QVB, on Town Hall Place, facing The Town Hall are the Royal Wishing Well and Queen Victoria's statue. My experience: This is the second time I have visited this building and on the second time, I found even more hidden historical things of note. It's a remarkable way to feel like you've stepped back in time, whether that's through shopping or through grabbing a coffee or tea and sitting in the atrium, taking it all in. TIP: Go to Haight's for some chocolate! read more

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A must see building and a wonderful place to shop! Such fun stores and an incredible building to walk through. Very skinny as a building design which makes it so interesting to go through. Different floors to explore too! Love the historical building with some modern twists of restaurants and shops. read more

I enjoyed the aesthetic and ambience. It's unlike the malls in the USA that could feel vast and impersonal. However, it doesn't mean that it'll have unique pieces. Don't expect to find deals that you are accustomed to in America. read more

Beautiful building. Lots of shops of varying merchandise as well as food courts. Enjoyed walking around and enjoying the architecture. read more

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WOW!! Loved exploring the Queen Victoria Building. Also known as the QVB, it is a beautiful historic late-nineteenth-century building located in the Sydney central business district. It was designed by the architect George McRae in the Romanesque Revival style and the building was completed in 1898. McRae actually presented the city council with four unique designs for the building in different architectural styles (Gothic, Renaissance, Queen Anne and Romanesque) since Sydney was undergoing a building boom where no one style predominated at the time of construction. The QVB was built as a marketplace that covers a full city block. The Victorian Romanesque style reflects the influences of American architect Henry Hobson Richardson. Love the beautiful columns, colonnades and cupolas. The domes are so iconic. The stained-glass windows, including a cartwheel window depicting the arms of the City of Sydney, allow light into the central area. The roof has arched skylights to allow more natural light into the marketplace. The building was named for Queen Victoria in honor of her Diamond Jubilee. Go up to the fourth level to see display cases filled with memorabilia. Check out the Queen's Letter. Love the two huge mechanical clocks that feature dioramas and moving figures from moments in history that can be seen from the railed walkways. The Royal Clock displays six scenes of English royalty accompanied by Jeremiah Clarke's trumpet voluntary. The Great Australian Clock includes scenes from Australian history, seen from both Aboriginal and European perspectives. The Aboriginal hunter that circles the exterior of the clock continuously represents the never-ending passage of time. Definitely worth a visit in Sydney. The building is open late even if the shops are closed. read more

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Quality/Quantity - Built in 1898. 5 floors of shops. Beautiful architecture. Even the men's toilet has cool old school architecture, see picture. Wait, what happened to all my other pictures??? Sorry, it looks like it did not get uploaded. I will upload it if I find the pictures back. Approximately 132 shops. 28 dining choices. Atmosphere - Open 7 days a week from 9am or 11am to 5pm, 6pm or 9pm. On Thursdays, they are open late, and on Sundays, they close early. Events, see their website. Garage parking available; we took easy public transportation and ride share. Free wifi, I did not use it. Service - N/A, self service. Individual shop owners were good. History tours available for $25pp, 12 and under are free. 45 minute walking tours. Private tours available, see website. Price - N/A, believe it or not we did NOT buy anything. Good thing as we already have passed our luggage capacity. And we are only half way into our trip. Owner Comment - Vicinity Centres, congrats on your success since 2015 with your 59 centres. read more

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THE famous Queen Victoria Building. Known for its beautiful architecture and numerous stores. Ambiance Parking | Street parking, metered parking, public transportation, or ride share. Vibes | You're in Downtown Sydney so it gets pretty busy. There are a lot of things to do here, from shopping (high-end to casual) to eating to sightseeing. Many people are here to admire the architecture, and it is quite a delightful sight so be sure to take some pictures. People in the area were relatively friendly. TL;DR Overall | 5 Stars. This was a neat place to check out, whether it may be to admire architecture, eat, or shop. For tourists visiting, this is a fun spot to check out. Tips: * This area gets busy, I'd recommend using public transportation or ride share. read more

Queen Victoria Building - Wooo! - Shopping Centers Near Me - Sydney, NSW

I'm not a big shopper and I certainly am not a high end shopper but I do like to window shop so visiting the QVB was pretty fun. Even if I didn't like to window shop, this building is super cool and there are quite a few fun things to look at. The stained glass windows, the hanging clocks, the random stairs to nowhere, the time capsule letter from Queen Elizabeth II, all of the other interesting architectural and design details. I also found the little cafés pretty fun. We didn't sit at any but it's nice to know that you can sit, have some tea and cake, and relax whilst shopping or sightseeing. There are actually a good amount of places to sit that aren't a café too so you can have a little rest and then go about your day. read more

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Beautiful architecture. Fun to walk around. Lots of coffee places. Had a very delicious lunch at Yama QVB where we enjoyed sushi, sashimi, gyoza and a small salad while we people watched. Excellent service and value. read more

This indoor shopping mall with 200 shops across five levels contains Australian fashion retailers and aboriginal art galleries showcasing art design and fashion from around the country. The Queen Victoria building is considered one of the cities most beautiful heritage buildings from 1898. The shops were high-end and contained beautiful colorful clothing and art. There was a photo on the top level and clean bathrooms. There was a lift in the front and the back and escalators in the center. It was a bright beautiful mall decorated for the holidays. read more

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A classic, historic 4 floors of shopping and cafes. We visited on a Sunday, and the place was hopping with people having high tea. It is worth a walk through just to experience the historic building. Check out the clocks hanging indoors and the Victoria statue plus the wishing well with a talking dog outside the building. Upscale shopping with plenty of tea shops and pastries. read more

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January 2024- this is a very beautiful historic building. There's a variety of shops, from average priced shops to high end expensive stores. There was a women's clothing store facing the outside corner, Cotton something that I liked. It's an Australian local store with nice quality clothing and bags. I went here during the day and it was very crowded with people. The cafe on the 1st floor in the middle was packed with customers that I couldn't find a seat. That would be the only downside, how crowded it gets. The toilets were clean. That's a plus. Also, there's a piano on the 2nd floor where some people took turns playing. That was nice to sit and watch. read more

Beautiful well maintained building. Such an array of shops to choose from. Nicely decorated for the Christmas season. Also offering gift wrapping. Great Christmas sales at the Ugg store. Found what I needed at OZ hair and beauty. Excited to go back when I fly there in a few weeks. read more

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Lovely architecture and a lot of variety for dining and cafes. The decorations are up for Christmas. I wish I had planned ahead and booked a tour. read more

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It was my first time in Sydney and my hotel was right across the street, so I came here to check it out. It had many shops inside and with several restaurants located on the different floors. I wasn't the only one there taking pictures of the building structure and features. It was unique and elegant. The basement floors allowed underground access to The Galeries shopping mall as well as the Town Hall train station. That was nice as it was pretty sunny and hot outside. Before waking around inside, I stopped at the Manon Brasserie to get some breakfast. This was a nice place to do a little bit of window shopping even if I ultimately didn't buy anything. read more

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Sydney kills it will these vintage arcades! We wandered over from the Strand to find the QV building was even bigger and more elaborate! Even if you're not looking to shop, you really shouldn't miss a trip in to see the amazing stained glass (reminds me of Galeries Lafayette in Paris) and especially the fantastical mechanical clocks. One tells the story of Australia in pictures, and the little ship rotates around - so pretty! They've also got some historic documents from QEII's visits on the upper floors. In terms of shopping - it looks to be mostly rich-lady stuff. But there are several cafes to grab a coffee/tea and perhaps a fancy cake or whatever rich ladies have. The QV also connects to the subway through the basement level where there is yet more shopping (mostly high street stuff like the Body Shop). read more

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#75 for 2018 The Queen Victoria building was built in 1893 a marketplace that continues today housing many unique vendors on five floors. The architecture alone makes this site worth checking out. The decorative staircases, motion clocks in the middle, the stained glass windows, and circular dome ceiling windows, retro elevators are all so beautiful to see and take pictures of. I spent a few hours here looking around at the shops and fascinating architectural aspects of the building. I enjoyed Haigh's homemade chocolate where they package chocolates by hand as well. A bit pricey but worth the treat every once in a while. The Art of Dr Seuss was an interesting gallery sampling of the doctor's work. Travelex is a good place to exchange money. I took advantage of the strength of the US dollar, .71 to an Aussie dollar. Don't be surprised if there's a short line. If you're here visiting, making this one of you're must see destinations. read more

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Gorgeous Victorian Architecture inside and out. Everything from the stained glass to the metal balustrades that line floors of this building shouts bygone era at it's finest. The retail food and shops are all unique and the giant clocks are a quirky oddity that adds charm to this place. I probably wouldn't mind eating at the cafes with the indoor/outdoor seating just because. As a tourist in Sydney this place is highly recommend. read more

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Gorgeous building & fabulous shops on top floor especially. Elegant women restrooms. Great vibe & many choices to nosh or have high tea /espressos. read more

Wow! What a gorgeous building. I'm so glad it evaded the wrecking ball mid-twentieth century. I was surprised to read that this has always been a marketplace. And it's so huge! With three floors inside the main building and even more underground (where I got completely lost as I always do in shopping malls), it's a shopping overload. There a beacoup places to eat and snack and just outright spend all your money from high end retailers to jewelry to the fanciest of chocolates. Even if you're not a shopper, the stained glass and the tiles are just beautiful. read more

Queen Victoria Building - Dome about it all - Shopping Centers Near Me - Sydney, NSW

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Pretty! Get a load of it at night too. It is basically a nice building structure housing a mall. My only regret is not catching it on the hour when the clock hanging inside is supposed to do something. read more

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A great place to have high tea and early dinner. You can enter this building from all four sides. You can spend a good hour or more to walk thru the building. However, don't miss out the town hall building across street. The x'mas decoration make this building even more beautiful : ) read more

Queen Victoria Building (QVB) is a shopping center located in Sydney CBD. What makes this shopping center standout is the building itself. This shopping center is located in a late 19th century Romanesque revival building that is palatial and reminiscent of state capitol buildings that you find in the US which have a big dome in the middle like QVB does. QVB has 6 levels of shopping, 2 of which are below ground level. The building is also adjacent to Town Hall Station which can be accessed on the lower ground level. You can also reach other shopping malls area including The Galeries and Westfield through the underground walkway here. The stores located here consist of upscale boutiques and international retailers as well as numerous cafes and restaurants. The cafes are particularly nice as many of them are located in between the shopping walkways so you can enjoy the great building architecture and atmosphere. Even if you are a bit skint and can't afford anything from one of the retailers here, this is a nice place to window shop and walk around. The interiors of the building are magnificent to look at. They don't make buildings like these anymore with such attention to detail. Even the staircases here are lovely. I would highly recommend heading up to the top level so you can get a closer look at the giant clocks that adorn the top of this building. Whether or not you come here to shop, I think QVB is worth a visit. It is a beautiful landmark building in Sydney CBD that is unlike any of the other malls in the vicinity. read more

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In A Nutshell: -The Queen Victoria Building is located in central Sydney. -This historic building is now a multi-level mall. -Inside you'll find all sorts of clothing stores and various places to eat in the middle area of this building. -It's a nice place to check out while you are sight-seeing this awesome city. Overall, if you need to exchange some cash, there is also a place to do that inside this building. read more

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Gorgeous, handsome boutiques with a refined, Old World feel. Christmas decorations are exquisite and pure whimsy. Recommend high tea at the QVB Tea Room for a quiet, relaxing treat. Reasonable at $39 AUD/pp. Delicious treats and gracious staff. read more

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What an amazing building, both from the outside and inside. Beautiful stained glass. Beautiful tile floors and wrought iron railings. Worth a visit even if you don't like shopping or dining there read more

What a stunning building, both from the exterior and the interior. Beautiful stained glass. Beautiful tiled floors and wrought iron railings. Even if you are not into shopping or dining there, it's worth a visit. read more

Great architecture on both the inside and outside of this building. There are multiple levels inside and you could probably get lost on the lower level. There weren't any shops that I would actually go into, but just walking inside was pretty cool. Probably worth stopping by even if just for pictures. read more

Queen Victoria Building - Shopping Centers Near Me - Sydney, NSW

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Shop till you drop! The QVB is a "must visit" for any visitor to Sydney, especially if you like shopping. In addition, there are several small cafes where you can grab a bite to eat. There are many gorgeous shops at QVB, but Gorman is my favourite. read more

Queen Victoria Building - Gorgeous shops covering four different levels at the QVB. - Shopping Centers Near Me - Sydney, NSW

The building is absolutely gorgeous but the mall itself sucked or what I mean is I was not a fan of most of the stores in here. There multi-levels and somehow I got lost in the lower levels. I'm not a smart man. read more

I really like this building. At first I didn't know what it was, but then my cousin told me the history and we ventured around and did some exploring. There is so much to do here and it's immensely crowded with people. Every hour is peak hour in this building. There is so much going on and there is so much to do. You can get some shopping done or find a place to grab some tea or coffee, or even find a place to eat. My sister and I just wandered around to see what the building had to offer. We were pleasantly surprised. read more

This is a great building to admire and walk through, even if you don't buy anything. It's a very historic building with great artistic detail showing off Romanesque design. There are a ton of shops, boutiques and restaurants to go through and it's a very pleasant experience walking through...the people watching isn't bad either! The famous "Royal Clock" and "Great Australian Clock" are definitely worth a look (the "Royal Clock" has the popular mechanical "show" displaying six scenes from British royal history). The glass dome is one of the best features in this building since it allows the natural light to help illuminate this amazing building. read more

Where are all these people coming from? Where are all these people going? This place is constantly bustling with people from all walks of life. Everyone seems to be directed and focused. It is fascinating to just stop for a moment and watch the action around the place. The natural light opens up the building. There are many little boutiques and some large chain retail stores in this building in addition to endless options of cafes. It is a large airy marketplace with multiple floors and multiple entries into the building. I almost felt like a transit center with so many people making their way around. It seemed like a city within the center of the city. It is a charming building with beautiful architecture. It is definitely a nice place to lose some time on a rainy day. read more

Queen Victoria Building - Shopping Centers Near Me - Sydney, NSW

A must see if in Sydney, not a designer label guy myself but it has it all, great to window shop, amazing coffee outlets, odd wine spots too. Good public toilets on level 2 that are renovated and easy to social distance. It is an institution when in the downtown area of Sydney. Light rail at the door too. read more

I like history and I love looking at old buildings and marveling at its architecture and design. QVB is my favorite place in Sydney as it is rich in history and the shops are varied and make a good shopping experience. Take the tour organized by QVB and you won't regret it. It tells you so much more about the building and the background of it. Check with the concierge about it to find out when they are on. Don't forget to have a traditional English tea at The Tea Room too. The Tea Room used to be the Grand Ballroom on level 3. read more

The grand old dame don't need to show flesh to keep it classy. Sydney doesn't really do old school glamour, but this stunner is an exception. Dripping in tilework and stained glass, she's big and beautiful like Christina Hendricks with the refinement and elegance of Cate Blanchett and absolutely nothing about her resembles Tara Reid or, worse, Tori Spelling. There's this weird effect that a scientist on coming days will probably figure out a name for where you totally forget how eye-poppingly stunning the interior of this building is until you visit a year or so down the track and kaboom, your head explodes with all the architecture. Shops are pricey but when you occupy real estate like this you can charge whatever the hell you want. read more

Queen Victoria Building - The grand old dame - Shopping Centers Near Me - Sydney, NSW

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Sydney has some truly wondrous architecture, I'm a massive fan of the sandstone buildings heralding back to our colonial past. Can you believe it used to have more? Most likely you can. Did you know they were set to rip this baby down at one stage? Probably wanted to throw up another wonderful 1960s concrete tower block. QVB is great for a stroll through just window shopping its magic for Christmas shopping. and I heard on the grape vine the public toilets on the top floor are some of the cleanest you will find in the CBD. read more

Queen Victoria Building - Shopping Centers Near Me - Sydney, NSW

After visiting Westfield Liverpool, Sydney, and Chermside, I knew Westfield will forever be at every corner like 7-Eleven would be. There is one mall in Sydney that truly is spectacular. It combines modern day shopping with historical value. You can say that history does have a place in today in a form of a mall. If you are in Sydney, make sure you stop by The Queen Victoria Building. During my early visit with my cousins, we had stopped by an old building. There were lots of people coming in and out of it. I wasn't sure what to make out of it. When I walked in, it was a mall. It was a mix of a museum meets a place where we all shop. You'll find lots of statues and information at the entrances of the building. All related to King George and, of course, Queen Victoria. The walkways are very interesting. It is very narrow, but you can dine on the tables making walking through a little difficult. You can probably bump into someone's plate while you are shopping. At the same time, if I had dined, the tables are probably the place to be. Smelling the food and enjoying the drinks while the others are walking and looking at you. If you head to the lower levels, it seems that the building hallways are very modern. While you are shopping, there are a lot of historical items that you can enjoy. From the staircases, very old elevators, and photo-ops with some documents, you can learn and shop at the same time. Usually, its shop, dine, and play. Its backwards in Australia. Learning is fun while having fun doing something else. There is a Dr. Seuss store at the top floor. If The Queen Victoria Building has some green eggs and ham, then this place is OK with me. After visiting so many Westfield Malls, I found the mall that had my favorite store: Fossil. It was a unique mall that I enjoyed the most. From going up the stairs to the modern escalator and trying to find the hidden gems of this building is very special. Besides visiting Westfield Sydney, stop by here and see how malls look like back in the 1800s....Just Kidding! You think I write too much? Well, you can call me a Yelp-O-Holic! read more

Love the free WiFi outside Starbucks. Forget the 30 minute rule when you sit and enjoy outside in the foyer area. Still elegant and beautiful. Love the Swarovski Christmas Tree. Also Mister Minit has come to the rescue again: repaired my boots twice and has replaced my watch battery (thanks Ben for the tip) with a two-year guarantee. read more

Beautiful Old World mall filled with interesting boutiques shops. Wonderfully renovated. I love the way eateries spill out into the walkways. Its definitely worth a visit if you are in Sydney. read more

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