Parliament House, Canberra

Parliament House is the central meeting place for the Parliament of Australia. This is the legislative branch of the country's federal government.

The building also houses the executive branch, which is the Australian Government. This includes the Cabinet room and the offices for the Prime Minister and federal ministers. It is located on the southern apex of the National Triangle. The site sits atop Capital Hill in Canberra, where several major avenues meet.

The building's design is unique because it is partially buried. Most of the structure sits beneath the surface of Capital Hill. Two large curved walls divide the building into four distinct quadrants. These quadrants contain the House of Representatives, the Senate, the executive wing, and the formal entrance space.

Because the building is sunken, people can walk on the grass roofs. This architectural choice is meant to symbolize that the people stand above their government. The building is actually four meters higher than the original height of the hill.

History shows that Australia's capital was the result of a long compromise. In 1901, when the colonies federated, Melbourne and Sydney were the largest cities. Neither city would accept being the national capital due to a long rivalry. The Australian Constitution settled this by requiring a new capital in New South Wales. This territory had to be at least 100 miles away from Sydney.

The Parliament met in Melbourne until the new capital was ready. In 1927, they moved to Old Parliament House in Canberra. This building served as the home for 61 years, though it eventually ran out of space.

Deciding where to build the new Parliament House involved much debate. An original plan by Walter Burley Griffin suggested placing Parliament on Camp Hill. Instead, a "Capitol" building was intended for Capital Hill to hold archives and public assemblies. Eventually, the Parliament Act 1974 determined that Capital Hill would be the site for the new House.

In 1978, the Fraser government decided to proceed with the construction. A competition was held to find a design, drawing 329 entries from 29 different countries.

The winning design came from the firm Mitchell/Giurgola & Thorp Architects.

The architect Romaldo Giurgola emphasized how the building would blend into the landscape. Landscape architect Peter G. Rolland coordinated surface elements like lighting and artwork. Construction began in 1981, with an initial expected cost of $220 million. However, the final cost rose to more than $1.1 billion. Queen Elizabeth II officially opened the building in 1988.

Many massive engineering feats were required to complete the project. Workers had to excavate about one million cubic meters of rock from the site. This rock was later used to fill low-lying areas in the city. Much of the granite used for the building was sourced from Australia. Builders quarried twice the amount needed to ensure they had high-quality stone for the curved walls.

A massive stainless steel flagpole sits atop the hill. It weighs 250 tonnes and flies an Australian flag the size of a double-decker bus.

Inside, the building is vast and contains 4,700 rooms. The House of Representatives uses a green color scheme for its decor.

In contrast, the Senate chamber uses a red color scheme.

The main foyer features polished black and white marble floors. Visitors can even see a fossilized ancient prawn embedded in one of the steps. The foyer also contains large columns inspired by ancient temples in Egypt and Persia.

The building also honors the connection to the land through art. The forecourt features a large mosaic titled "Possum and Wallaby Dreaming." This work was designed by Indigenous Australian artist Michael Nelson Jagamarra.

The mosaic depicts animal tracks moving toward a central circle. This represents Canberra as a gathering place. To create the artwork, three stonemasons spent up to two years hand-cutting 90,000 granite setts. This design helps connect the modern government to the enduring history of the land.