Royal Arcade in the heart of Melbourne is one of the city’s most well-known tourist attractions. Opened in 1870, Royal Arcade holds the record for the oldest surviving arcade in Australia. Designed by Charles Webb, the Arcade itself features an impressive glass ceiling, allowing the arcade to be lit with natural light.
Famously in 1893 two states of the mythical figures “Gog and Magog” were added to the southern end of the Arcade, based on similar statues located in London’s Guildhall. The statues stand either side of the famous Gaunt’s Clock, made by Melbourne’s most famous clockmaker at the time, Thomas Gaunt, who made many of the Tower Clocks around Victoria.
Today, Royal Arcade is a bustling hub of business, with cafes and boutique stores running the length of the Arcade. Standing as a surviving example of early colonial architecture, Royal Arcade is a great place to visit.
