Here's the CBD (city business district) seen from the corner of Maquarie and Bridge Streets, two of Sydney's oldest streets. Many of the young colony's first administrative offices where built there. Sitting on the corner of the two is the old Colonial Secretary's office, the yellow sandstone building you see on the right. On the corner of this building, three sandstone statues encased in the facade (one for each of the three floors) represent Wisdom, Justice and Mercy: the guidelines for managing the colony I suppose. Unfortunately the reality of global colonial history didn't always match this great vision... 
Voici une vue du CBD (centre ville, quartier des affaires) vue depuis le coin de Maquarie Street et Bridge Street. Ces deux rues, parmi les plus anciennes de la ville, ont vu s'ériger les tout premiers bâtiments administratifs de la jeune colonie. Au coin à droite, le bâtiment en grès jaune est celui du Secrétaire Colonial. Enchâssées au coin de la façade, trois statues en pierre superposées (une par étage) représentent la Sagesse, la Justice et la Compassion : les trois qualités nécessaires pour gérer la colonie je suppose... Malheureusement la réalité de l'histoire coloniale n'a pas toujours été à la hauteur de ces belles ambitions !
10 comments:
You captured the cityscape beautifully.
Great shot Nathalie. We are in a similar location today.
I go down to that area a lot for work too.
la colonisation, voila un debat interessant, qui vient de bousculer le microcosme politique français.
c'est marrant, tous les quartiers financiers des grandes villes se ressemblent, enfin je trouve
colonization, veiled an interesting debate, which has just hustled French political microcosm. it is funny, all the financial districts of the large cities resemble itself, finally I find
wonderful post nathalie. ideals and reality will never see eye to eye. but then there is hope.
Yes Paul, you're just down the street today. Great!
I never tire of saying, I love old, stone buildings. Beautiful.
I guess in real life as any CBD it may look oppressive. But your photograph conveys the layers of time and architecture so very beautifully and actually inviting.
There's always a good shot to be had in Sydney. We stayed in the CBD at Rydges Jameson when we got married. Good location for the shops and railway.
really a fantastic composition! I love the camera angle you chose and the vibrancy of color and texture is beautiful.
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