Queens Square, Sydney facts for kids
View across Queens Square from inside the gates of Hyde Park Barracks towards St James' Church. The Supreme Court building is to the right, and the statues of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, and Hyde Park, are to the left.
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 Location in Sydney
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| Former name(s) | King Street |
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| Namesake | Queen Victoria |
| Type | Public square |
| Addresses | Junction of King, Phillip and Macquarie streets and bounded on the south by St James and Prince Albert roads. |
| Location | Sydney central business district, New South Wales |
| Nearest metro station | St James |
| Coordinates | 33°52′10″S 151°12′43″E / 33.8695°S 151.2120°E |
| Construction | |
| Completion | c. 1977 |
Queens Square is a public square in the middle of Sydney, Australia. A public square is an open space where people can gather. This square is where King Street, Phillip Street, and Macquarie Street all meet. It is also bordered on its south side by St James Road and Prince Albert Road.
Contents
What is Queens Square?
Many important buildings are located around Queens Square. If you walk around the square like a clock, starting from the north, you will see:
- The Law Courts Building
- The Sydney Mint (a historic building where coins were once made)
- The UNESCO World Heritage Listed Hyde Park Barracks
- The Land Titles Office
- Hyde Park
- St James' Church
- Sydney Law School
Most of these buildings, except for the Law Courts Building and Sydney Law School, are very old. They are "heritage-listed," which means they are protected because of their historical importance. Many of them were built in the 1700s and 1800s.
Statues and Memorials
Queens Square is named after Queen Victoria, who was the Queen of England for a long time. There is a statue of her on the southwest side of the square. It faces north towards the Law Courts building.
Another statue in the square is of Prince Albert, Queen Victoria's husband. His statue is on the southeast side and looks across Macquarie Street towards the Queen's statue.
There is also a special mosaic and relief on the ground in front of the Law Courts Building. This memorial honors Francis Greenway, who was an important architect for the government in early New South Wales. He designed some of the buildings around the square.
A Place for Public Opinion
Because Queens Square is next to the state's Supreme Court and close to Parliament House (where laws are made), it is often a place where people gather. They come here to share their opinions and show support for different causes.
You can also find St James Station underground, south of the square. You can get to it through a path under St James Road.
History of Queens Square
In the early 1800s, Governor Lachlan Macquarie, an early leader of the colony, planned to create a public square in this spot. It was first called Kings Square. However, it was renamed Queens Square in 1837 when Queen Victoria became queen.
The statue of Queen Victoria was officially revealed in 1888. This was done by Lady Carrington, whose husband was the Governor of New South Wales. It was part of Australia's centenary celebrations, marking 100 years since important events in the colony's history.
The square used to have roads all around it, which later became a circular path for trams. In the late 1970s, when the Law Courts Building was built, King Street was changed. It now ends where it meets Phillip Street. The part of King Street that used to go between Phillip Street and Macquarie Street became part of Queens Square.
