Parliament House

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Building began in 1856 with the two main chambers: the lower house (the Legislative Assembly) and the upper house (the Legislative Council). The library was added in 1860 and Queen's Hall in 1879. Original plans included an enormous dome, which was deemed too costly. Gun slits are visible just below the roof, and the dungeon is now the cleaners' tearoom. Australia's first federal parliament sat here from 1901, before moving to Canberra in 1927.

You can see inside on a free half-hour tour, which takes you through both houses and the library. Tours commence at , , , and each weekday when parliament is in recess. You'll need to book in advance. The tour guide points out interesting design aspects and explains the symbolism underlying much of the ornamentation. Ask about the mystery of the stolen ceremonial mace that disappeared from the lower house in 1891 - rumour has it that it ended up in a brothel. Another way to see the houses is to visit when parliament is sitting; phone or visit the website to find out when it's in session.

The Parliament Gardens to the north of Parliament House are a pleasant place to prop.