Parliament House, Adelaide facts for kids
Parliament House is a very important building in Adelaide, South Australia. It's where the Parliament of South Australia meets to make laws for the state. You can find it at the corner of North Terrace and King William Road in the city centre.
This grand building was built because the old Parliament House, right next door, became too small. Because of money problems, it took a very long time to build – 65 years, from 1874 to 1939!
If you want to see inside, you can join a public tour on weekdays at 10 am and 2 pm. Just remember, tours don't happen when Parliament is busy making laws.
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The "Old" Parliament House
The Parliament of South Australia started in 1857. This was when the colony was given the power to govern itself. Today, the Old Parliament House is next to the new one on North Terrace.
This building is famous for many important laws made there. South Australia was a leader in many areas, like giving all adult men the right to vote in 1856. Several important architects helped design the building over the years. It is one of the few buildings in Adelaide that is still standing from before 1860.
What happened to the Old Building?
After the new Parliament House was finished in 1939, some people wanted to pull down the old building. Luckily, it was saved by World War II. During the war, it was used as an office for the Royal Australian Air Force. After the war, different government offices used it.
By the 1970s, the building was looking quite old and neglected. But then, in the late 1970s, it was turned into a museum called the "Constitutional Museum." It was restored to look like it did in 1875. This was Australia’s first museum about politics! It operated as a museum until 1995. After that, the building went back to being used by the Parliament, mostly for offices and meeting rooms.
The "New" Parliament House
How it was Built
In 1872, a new law meant that the number of members in the House of Assembly would increase. This meant a much bigger building was needed for the growing Parliament. In 1874, a special group was set up to choose a design for the new building.
A design by famous Adelaide architect Edmund Wright and his partner Lloyd Taylor won the competition. Their design was in the Greek Revival style. It featured fancy columns, impressive towers, and a huge dome.
Parliament House was built using beautiful Kapunda marble and West Island granite. Building started on the West Wing in 1874 and finished in 1889. It cost a lot of money, but there wasn't enough to build the towers and dome from the original design. The West Wing held the new room for the South Australian House of Assembly and its offices. The South Australian Legislative Council continued to meet in the Old Parliament House next door.
An economic downturn in the 1890s stopped the building work. It wasn't until 1913 that plans for the East Wing were drawn up. But then, World War I started, causing more delays.
Finally Finished!
The building project started again in the 1930s. This was thanks to a generous gift of £100,000 from Sir John Langdon Bonython. He sent a cheque to the Premier, saying the money should be used to finish the half-built Parliament House. This project also helped create jobs for many people during the Great Depression, a time when lots of people were unemployed.
Work on the East Wing began in 1936, the year South Australia celebrated its 100th birthday. It was finished three years later in 1939.
When the building was finally completed, the British Houses of Parliament were so happy that they sent a special gift. They removed a stone lion from their own building in Westminster and shipped it to Adelaide! This lion was given to the Parliament of South Australia in 1939. You can see the lion statue and a plaque at the front of the building today.
The completed Parliament House was officially opened on June 5, 1939, by Lord Gowrie, who was the Governor-General of Australia at the time. Since then, there have been ideas to add the towers and dome, but none of these plans have ever happened.
Images for kids
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The opening ceremony of the new Parliament House in 1939.
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The Old Parliament House.
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The "new" Parliament House.
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The front porch of Parliament House.
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A protest happening on the front steps of Parliament House.
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The Westminster Lion statue at the front of the building.
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The dome in the foyer of Parliament House.
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An interior hallway inside Parliament House.
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The House of Assembly chamber.
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The Legislative Council chamber.
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"New" Parliament House (far-left) in 1928, when only the western wing had been completed.
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The Legislative Council Chamber.
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Outside Parliament House, looking at North Terrace (1940).
- Parliament of South Australia: Parliament House
See also
In Spanish: Casa del Parlamento (Adelaida) para niños
