With a broad tree-formed path running along its center, Hyde Park provides a dramatic approach to the city, made magical at night with twinkling fairy lights. On the northern end is the over-the-top Archibald Memorial Fountain, liberally adorned with naked Greek deities and water-spouting turtles.
At the southern end, behind a shallow Pool of Reflection, is the exquisite art deco Anzac Memorial (anzacmemorial.nsw.gov.au; free). It opened in 1934 to commemorate the troops of the Australia and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZACs) who fought in WWI, but has been expanded to include those who served in subsequent conflicts. In the central hall, a bronze statue of a naked fallen soldier lies under a canopy of 120,000 stars set into the domed ceiling, one for every NSW soldier who served. Downstairs there's a military-themed museum, which includes a section on the construction and symbolism of the memorial. There's also an exhibition of soil samples from all the NSW places of origin of WWI soldiers. One-hour guided tours (booking fee per person $2) of the memorial reveal its history.
Hyde Park was originally the colony's racecourse and cricket ground and took its current form in the 1920s. The statue of Captain Cook in the southern section has been a focus of recent controversy, largely due to the phrase "Discovered this territory 1770" carved on the plinth.
